Into The Rain
by The Shinsengumi Muses
Summary: During the war, Duo Maxwell vanished without a trace. Regardless, the war was ended and Heero Yuy started on his unhappily-ever-after marrying Relena. However on one rainy day a stranger bring news of another world that's still caught up in the war and
1. Chapter One

**Into the Rain**

**Part One: Strangers and Chapters**

* * *

Since the night of March 23, AC 195, all that had been coming to pass was nothing more than heartache and the love that had been lost. It was a normal day, nothing more than what the other days of war would have been like. Nothing had been depicted out of the ordinary and nothing had been out of place. But after a couple of days, I hadn't heard from the Deathscythe pilot and was beginning to worry for his well-being. After a month, and no one really hearing from him, more and more people close to him began to worry as well. 

But then, after the war had been won and the colonies prevailing, people started to wonder. That was when my unhappily ever after had begun... 

* * *

Quatre had been living with Trowa, and Catherine had gone to live with them, after the circus on L3 had burnt down. She was one of the three survivors. They had taken her in and given her that piece of the Barton-Winner Estate to live on; she was very grateful to them for that. Wufei was more or less a wandering martial artist, not calling any one place with the name of 'home.' As for me, I had settled down with the former Queen of the World, but I never forgot him. My mind often wondered about what happened to him. He had virtually disappeared off the face of the universe. 

Gone completely. 

There never was a body found, or even a notice of his disappearance. It was almost as if he had never existed. Now at the age of twenty-five, Quatre called us to a meeting. He never told his objective or his verdict. He just told us to come, and it was of the utmost importance. 

I didn't want to go. Seeing his face on the news already brought bad memories, not to mention what it would do to me, seeing him in person. But even so, Relena had urged me to go. But I still wanted a reason. She had given me one; "It would give you a chance to get away from me. I know that you never loved me. It was all out of pity, and I know it. Here is an offer to leave, why not take it?" 

That was what she had said to me and I took the opportunity. Now I stood outside the front doors of the Barton-Winner Estate, waiting to be let in. I knocked on the doors and a maid came. 

She led me in, showing me through the red-carpeted hallway to a room at the very end. After opening the door, I was greeted by the faces of the three that fought either against me, or along side of me during the war. I was surprised that Chang had even decided to show up. I looked to Quatre, ten years older but he still had that simple innocence about him. 

"What is it? I'm coming here to get an answer." 

Quatre gestured for me to have a seat but I remained standing. "Heero, won't you sit?" 

"Not until I'm told what you want from me here." 

Quatre's eyes wandered to the maroon tiled floor. "It's not what I want of you. But it is something that some one else wants of you." I questioned him with my eyes. What was he talking about? Was I going to be called to be a bodyguard for someone? I took his offer up and sat down on the black leather couch. Quatre smiled. "Would everyone else care to take a seat as well?" Trowa did, as did Wufei. Quatre then moved to a door that lay at the other end of the room. "I have someone here that I would like you all to meet." 

He opened to door and my eyes widened. 

Out from the door walked a man that was no more than our age. He had multiple scars across his body, and from the looks of it, had the life of a warrior. His eyes looked like they where haunted by the image of their childhood being torn away. His long hair was tied back in a braid that reached his knees and the way he stood spoke volumes. His cloths were torn from what looked to be a sword. The cut marks where precise and sharp. He wore only black, black baggy jeans, black tank top with a pair of black lace up boots. 

I'm sure he noticed my reaction first and moved to say something. "Hello," he said to the group. 

Quatre then offered his guest a chair. He took it and looked to us all. He remembered us and if he was who I though he was, then I remembered him as well. "I was about to ask a favor of you, but from the looks of all of your faces I think I need to answer a couple of questions first." Wufei was the first to speak. "What's your name?" he demanded, placing his hands idly upon his hips. The person whom was nameless as of now moved to speak. 

"My name was forgot to you long ago. You can just call me Stranger." 

"Stranger? Well what do you need of us?" Trowa asked, next in line. 

"At the present time, I came from a completely different world then you. I know it might not be in my favor to ask, but I need your help. My world, the world that bore its face to me when I was no more then fifteen is in the middle of a crisis. It is in the same crisis as it was at the time I came to it. I think I remember you from when I was that age, although it was so long ago." He paused and looked to me, as if waiting for me to object. I did, and he knew what I was going to say. 

"We're only twenty five and twenty six. How the hell could you have meet us fifty years ago?!" 

"Heero, I knew that you were going to ask that question. You see, in the world that swallowed me up, time flows differently than it does here. You should know that. Why else would I bring up something this troublesome?" 

"You think I'm going to believe in parallel world? That's the kind of things I fill my child's head full of as a good-night story!" 

"Child's? So Heero, what is your child's name?" 

I thought for a moment, deciding why I should tell him. He couldn't be who I thought him to be. Plus, that nonsense that he was talking about couldn't be true. "Say that we where to help you, why in the world would we, and then how would we?" 

"I'm not sure if I will be allowed to fill you in on all the details with you believing, but I need to know if you will help us." 

"You think we will even consider it if we don't know what the hell we are doing?!" 

"I can agree to it." 

I looked around and noticed Wufei nodded in response to Quatre's statement. Trowa nodded also. "Why would you?" I asked to them and they looked at me without any remorse. "Why do you think? If I don't do this, my conscience will never forgive me. I'm going to do it. I can't hear about people in trouble and then go about my business as if nothing happened. Heero, you should as well. I think you might know who this is." I shook my head. It had to be Duo, but it isn't. It couldn't be Duo. 

Maybe I was more ashamed of what I had become and had vowed never to let Duo see that. He would laugh at me and start to pity me. I wouldn't be able to stand it. Especially since I lo-. 

No, I wouldn't even think it. It was Duo and now that I had found out what happened to him I know that it was just a joke. He was probably injured until the end of the war and just never recognized as alive. And now he was coming to mock us and trick us into this as a good laugh. 

"I'm not going to agree," I said and the others looked disappointed. 

"Heero, what is your child's name?" 

I wasn't going to look to him. He didn't know what this was doing to me. That bastard didn't see it. Why was he being so cruel? 

"Heero? What is your child's name?" He repeated again and I looked up too meet the gaze of the one I had missed so much. 

"Maxwell." 

He smiled and I cursed that my lips had ever parted. 

I cursed that I had ever let him get to me that much. 

But he knew as well, I had loved him and I was feeling the downfall of that right now. 

He knew that very well. 

I didn't want to clean up the mess that would have come out of my love for him. It wouldn't happen. 

"You remember your friend Duo?" 

We all looked up to him. "What about him?" Wufei started. 

"While the war was still raging one night, he walked out to an old town on the Earth. The town was where he had grown up and while he was there he didn't realize that there was a portal that lead into an alternate reality. One where the war continued no matter what happened. While you lived through a war with three chapters, he lived and is still living in a world with sixty-five chapters and counting. But now the chapters have leap into a second volume and have started a second part. He appeared in the reality without war for some strange reason and can't figure out why." 

His face dropped and his eyes began to water slightly. A mist of phantom tears fell from his eyes and he walked up to me. 

"Heero, I missed you. You see, the title in chapter 29 is A Hero's Death. I never thought in this other book you would be a character. I'm so sorry, I wasn't there to save you when you where dying. I didn't come in time and I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around my waist and hugged me. 

I felt my heart catch in my throat and I looked down to the mass of chestnut hair. 

"Duo, is that really you?" 

He backed away and tried to smile. "I don't think I have become Duo yet. I might someday, but for now call me Stranger." 

I looked down to him even as he was backing away and noticed that he was the same Duo that I had lost ten years ago. Though his skin was torn with the scars that marked his body, it was he. It was Duo and he was here. But still for some reason I didn't think that I could have helped him for him to only leave again. He would just leave again. I couldn't go through with that again. 

I wasn't sure if I could face him now, even if he _was_ standing right in front of me. 

What would I say? Now was my chance but I couldn't find my voice. 

"So how would we get back to your reality?" Quatre asked and Stranger turned his back to me. "I was thinking about you telling me how the war was won in this time so that I may take the knowledge back into my time. I can't stay here when I know that in my time the war is continuing. I just need information and my Deathscythe in this time." 

"I think the last part of your request is impossible." 

He looked panicked. "Why?! What happened to Deathscythe!?" 

Wufei crossed his arms. "Because of the peaceful times and the predominate pacifism that is ruling we needed to dispose of the gundams. But why don't we go back into your reality and fight? We made a difference here when we where younger. Now that we are older we should be able to turn it into peace without a hitch." 

His eyes widened. "No! You can't go back with me! You don't understand, once you go there you won't be able to come back here!" Trowa raised an eyebrow. 

"Why is it that you're here, then?" 

He shook his head. "Do you think that if I possessed the power to travel between the worlds that I would wait until now to do it!? This was a once in a lifetime occurrence! I don't even know how it happened! All I know is that it won't happen again. I only know how to get there, not back." 

He had a point. Why would he wait until now? It wasn't within his power. 

"Why don't you just stay here?" I asked suddenly. 

He looked down. "How could I? I wouldn't know how to live; my life is back with the war. I wouldn't be able to leave it. Back there, I have a job. I am the only one left to protect Relena-sama. I can't let her die. Everything had gone berserk. I need to protect her. I promised Heero that. I need to fulfill all the tasks that he left unfulfilled and that would be the number one priority." 

The name Relena made me stiffen as I looked to him. Did I really make him promise that? 

"Did I really make you promise that?" 

He grinned. "Why not? Yes, you did. She was our only chance at peace, even to this day. I couldn't abandon her. Just as I couldn't abandon you. She was my second chance. She was the _world's_ second chance. They keep sending assassin after assassin to kill her. That is what more or less of these scars are from. How could I ever abandon her?" 

"She bares no significance in this day and age. Why would she now?" I spat to him and he was taken back a bit. 

"Remember how important she was in the war? Like me, her greatness will only shine in times of trouble. You never know how much a person is, nor do you know their potential until you ask them to rise. Remember that." 

I nodded but I still disagreed with him. But like a child with a toy, I had no right to protest. 

* * *

After the discussion, Quatre showed us to our rooms for the night. The themes present would continue at breakfast tomorrow. I then slipped off into my room, after looking to Stranger one last time. I knew that it wasn't going to be the last time I saw him, so I could rest easy. But how long would he be here? How long was he going to stay? The facts troubled me, but I needed to talk to him about what was going on and what happened to him. I wasn't sure. Before I could think anymore, I heard a knock on the door. Calling back over, I shouted, "Come in." 

The figure that had presented itself to us before was here now. Standing before me, he walked in. "Heero, I would like to talk to you." 

I nodded, "Well, you're already in the room, so talk." 

He crossed his arms. "I don't think you know what I have been through, that's why you're so hesitant to help me. You sure are the same Heero Yuy I remember." 

"What if I am? At least I wasn't the one who disappeared without a trace." 

"You think I planned that?!" 

"Well knowing you, that is very possible." 

"Stop being a jackass Heero. Listen to me." 

"I'm listening." 

"You don't know what has happened so don't try to force pity ahead of what you're thinking about. I can show you what happened, if that would help you make your decision." 

I chuckled. "Are you telling me that in this 'alternate reality' your people possess the power to show people things? Sound fun." I commented dryly. 

Duo growled back, "Don't make fun of the things you don't understand." 

I chuckled again. "So I take it in this 'alternate reality,' you people have advances in the knowledge department?" 

Duo glared and then walked over to me. He smirked as he let his hand lash across my face. I looked back up to him and that was when I realized that he was being dead-serious. He wasn't joking and he was going to show me that. "Heero. I don't have time to fool around with you; you are either going to listen to me or not." The stinging pain was coming from my face and it forced me to listen to him. 

"Okay, Heero. I can tell you or I can show you. What do you want me to do? You might not be as comfortable as possible with the 'show' but it would be easier." 

I looked to him and shrugged. "Well, if showing would be more effective, then that is what you should do, right?" 

"Well, it _would_ be much more effective." 

"Then show me." 

"Kiss me." 

I was taken back a little bit at his request. "What?!" I demanded and he shook his head. "I knew that you would take it that way." 

"What other way would I take it?!" 

"That would be the way for me to show you." 

I shook the feeling off and he ran a hand through his hair. "Do you still want me to show you?" 

I thought about it for a second and then came to a conclusion. "What should I expect?" I asked and he thought for a moment. "Well, you will experience and see all that I have seen, more specifically all I will let you see. It will be quick, but don't draw away." 

I nodded. "Then close your eyes." He did and I leaned in, his lips meeting mine. 

**All at once, I felt as if my mind and my body where no longer linked. I wandered around through the air until I came** **to a field where Duo was standing, looking out around the plains. Where was I? I looked to the scenery and then** **realized that it must have been on L2 some where, where ever Duo might have been.**

**Red.**

**Trowa had died from self-destructing.**

**Blue.**

**Wufei died after losing in another battle. Treize didn't have mercy this time.**

**Gold.**

**Quatre let go after Dorothy assassinated him.**

**Green.**

**I lay dying before my eyes; more or less Duo's eyes. As I watched, the eyes that I was using filled with water and** **uttered a phrase. "Heero! Don't go! I need you! You can't go!"**

I drew away from Duo lips and he looked to me. "There was more, why did you stop?" 

I looked down. "What happened? How did I die?" 

Duo placed a hand on my shoulder. "Zechs; Oz became more tenacious and they would stop at nothing to secure the world in their power." 

I shook my head. "What did you mean when you said that you needed me?" He smiled. "What do you think? I said what I meant. I do need you. My least favorite chapter was A Hero's Death. I even hate it more then one of the up coming chapters: Shinigami's Death." 

"You know what will happen? Why do you name the events as chapters?" 

"I know that I'm going to die soon after I get back to the other reality. It's going to happen and I can't deny it. If you looked at it as a book it isn't as sad. You know that there will be a happy ending so you learn to wait for the happy ending." His voice was low. 

"If I were to kiss you again then would I see more of what you saw?" 

Duo nodded. "If I willed it to." 

"Don't will it to this time." I kissed him and I caught him by so much surprise that he didn't will anything. Until a moment after I started to kiss him again, I went into the same mode that wasn't any longer forgotten then the other passed minutes. 

**"Heero, aishiteru," I heard Duo say, but instead it was as if I was saying it. I was more or less, kissing myself in Duo's body. This must have also happened to him.**

**As we drew back, Duo said to the other me, "This is chapter** **nineteen: You Promised Never To Let Go." The other me smiled and kissed Duo again. I guess I was even in love** **with him at that time too. No matter what reality came about, I would always love him.**

**But then I died when I told him I would never let go.**

**I never wanted to do that too him again. I felt the pain in his heart that he must have felt. I never wanted to hurt** **him.**

Duo then drew away quickly. 

"When did you figure out that the place you were in was an alternate reality? How do you know that this isn't the alternate reality?" 

He stood back up. "Because the right place, the actual reality is the one where you are alive." He then went to leave the room. 

"Duo, wait." 

"Stranger. I haven't become Duo yet." 

"No, you are Duo. Wait." 

"What is it?" 

"Come back here." 

His face showed the questioning expression that didn't suit him well. "Why?" 

I stood up. "Duo, it doesn't matter what reality you travel to, I will always love you and you can't escape my feeling. You might not love me in every reality, but I will love you." 

He shook his head. "I don't believe that." 

"How can I prove it to you?" 

"I'm not sure it you can." 

"Why not?" 

"Because when I come back to the place that I have been in for so long, you won't be there. I won't be able to stand it if I get close to you now!" 

"Then don't go back. I have been faced with you nowhere at all for so long. Unlike you, I never got an answer. Now that I have one and I know that you're alive I'm not going to let you go," I stated sternly. 

"Why now? Why didn't you tell me when I was here?" 

I walked closer to him and brushed a stray strand of hair from his face. "Because I didn't know that you would disappear." I kissed his forehead and he moved to step away. I didn't let him. Instead, I warped my arms around his waist and played with his braid, tangling my fingers into it. 

"Heero, I don't want to leave you but I-" 

"Just don't leave me." 

I kissed down his neck and he moved to protest. He knew what was right and I did too. This, on the other hand, was not right and he knew it. He was trying to do what was right- he was trying to stop it. I was, however, urging it to continue despite his protest. I would not go any farther than he wanted me to after a point. I wasn't going to scare him away. But after a second, he didn't protest, but joined it. "Heero, I don't want to go, but I need to. Why are you doing this to me?" 

"Aishiteru." 

"Honto?" 

"Aa." 

He stopped again and pushed me away. "I can't do this. It isn't right. I won't be able to let go of you again; I'll become too attached. I can't, I can't..." 

"Yes you can. I know you want to. Now just let everything go and rely on your heart. You have grown to rely on your brain too much, Duo. I never thought I would say that. Now just rely on your heart and everything will be fine. You're heart is going to tell you how to do things right, so please, please relax and follow what your heart tells you." 

"...my heart...?" 

"Duo, don't tell me out of all the things you gained, your heart was something that you lost?" 

"No. I have my heart. But my brain is just too overpowering. Heero, I can't." 

I kissed him again. "It's okay, I understand." I walked back to my bed and laid back down. Before I knew it, his hands where in my hair and his lips where on mine. 

"Heero, I missed you too much to let this opportunity slip away from me." I kissed him back and smiled to myself. Good, this was going to be okay after all... 

* * *

"Where did Duo go?" 

"Relena-sama, we haven't been able to locate him since the last explosion at 1.395.038." 

"Find him, he can't be dead. He just can't be dead." 

"I know, Relena-sama. We will find him. Did he let you know where he was headed?" 

"No, he just said that he would be back with help." 

"What kind of help? Where would we get help from?" 

"I'm not sure, but I believe in him. He is the only thing that can save us now. I don't even see why I'm still alive anymore, he is the key, why do they need me?" 

"Relena-sama… don't speak badly of yourself! We do need you!" 

"Why? Whether I speak poorly or highly of myself is up to me. One might be true and the other false, but it still is my decision. The only thing that is for sure is that Duo should be here with me now." 

"I know you love him, Relena-sama. Will you ever let him know?" 

"When he comes back I will. He has the right to know. That is when I will tell him." 

".... That is if he comes back-" 

"He will come back! He will! I know he will; he is devoted to winning the war and he's not going to leave and die without a word!" 

"Why would he give you a warning if he was going to die?" 

"He would. He had that ability to let you know things. Even if he didn't know of his death, he would still find a way to tell me that he had left. I know he would." 

"As you say Relena-sama." 

"I know he'll some back. I know he will..." 

* * *

End of part 1   
  
  
**Into the Rain Index**

**Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index**


	2. Chapter Two

**Into the Rain**   
  
**Part Two: Ventures and Choices**

* * *

Quatre greeted me that morning with a cup of coffee as he found me wandering the halls. It was early, only around 5:00. The two of us where wide-awake; he must have been getting everything in the morning ready. I leaned over to a particular piece of artwork that caught my eye as Quatre was showing me around the estate. 

It was a piece that consisted of varieties of green. Around the outer edge was a deep, forest green that was portraying the deep end of the ocean. As my eyes scanned further inward, I looked to how the calm water funneled into waves of lime green. Everything ended in a ball, or rather a sphere in the center. Looking deep into the sphere, something was etched in the painting, most likely when the paint was drying. It was a phrase that caught my attention and caused me to think for a moment. 

'Rat maze.' 

"Are you wondering about phrase?" I nodded and he moved to point out the artist's name. "His name Ralph Indus. Like many other artists that you might have heard about, he wasn't mentally sound. He painted this piece right before he died, and those word scribbled in the center of the orb indicate how he felt about his own life." 

I looked to him. "Does the orb have any other significance?" 

He nodded, "I'm guessing it was the whole thing that held him together, be it metaphoric or literal, it was the thought or object, idea or possession, maybe even human, that held him together." 

Then I asked another question. "How did he die?" 

"Of course, given the state he was in, suicide. He ate the paint that he had left from this painting and overdosed on the fumes." I nodded in regards to the answer given. It was a rather dark way to go, but I guess if you where a painter and looking for an escape it worked. 

"How old is this?" 

"About 511 years old. I though it might bring color to this hall way." He said and gestured to the other painting he had as well. 

"It works for that. Are the other painting's stories as interesting as this one?" 

He chuckled, "Not nearly. You seemed to pick out the diamond in the rough. But what I can't think of is what was keeping him together and why he let go. In the story I heard, there was something, it just was never mentioned. Do you have any guesses, Heero?" 

I shrugged my shoulder. "Sometimes it is the everyday things you rely on. I'm sure you know the age-old phrase, 'You don't miss something until it's gone,' right? This might have been the case." 

"Are you implying that he lost the orb?" 

I nodded. "Did you notice right here," I started, pointing to the edge of the orb, "that there is a slight reflection?" 

He took a closer look and his eyes widened. "I've never noticed that before! But now that you mention it, there is a reflection!" 

I took a look down the hallway and then turned back to Quatre. "Can I use your shower?" 

He nodded and pointed down the hallway. "Second room to the right from here." 

I thanked him and headed down the to the room he had instructed. Before I got my hand on the handle, he called back to me. 

"Heero! Have you seen Duo? He wasn't in his room." 

I looked back to him and shrugged. "He wouldn't be in his room. He spent the night in my room." 

Quatre looked a little hesitant to what he should or was going to say. "You mean...?" 

I tried to smile at him, but it might have looked like I was glaring. "Yes Quatre, be careful when waking him up." 

He agreed. "I will, and Heero?" 

Again, I looked back. "Yes?" 

"Towels are in the second drawer." 

I looked back to the door and finally opened it, walking into one of the many bathrooms in the household. Walking in, I first turned the fan on and then turned the water on. I was feeling for a bath as opposed to a shower. Baths always relaxed me. I looked to the second drawer where Quatre had said the towels were. Sure enough, I pulled out one and set it outside the tub. Stripping down, I walked to the tub and slipped it without creating a ripple in the water. I laid back and let the water surround me, closing my eyes to feel the warmth. 

I turned the water off with my foot and then relaxed completely. As I fell into the sleep I hadn't gotten last night, I watched the colors in my vision blur. Sleep sounded good to me; that was all I wanted for that moment...   
  
_A volley of bullets where let loose from a machine gun and appeared to be coming towards me. I pulled my body out of the way but that was when I realized that there was someone else weighing me down. I looked over and saw her, Relena. I moved to let go of her arm but I couldn't. I was not longer in charge of my actions. Was this another of the visions that Duo had given me? It must have been, I was moving like he was. I was protecting her, even though it was against my will._   
  
_She was older._   
  
_She must have been 22._

_She most definitely looked different. Her hair was only trailing Duo's in length and it was put up in a high ponytail. The school uniform that I was custom to seeing her in during the war was gone and replacing it was a dirty and torn uniform that looked to be that of a rebel group. As I looked down it was along the_ _line of what I, Duo, was wearing._   
  
_As another stray bullet came, it hit its intended target._   
  
_Piercing my arm, I felt the ripping pain shoot through my body, but I was still moving like nothing had ever happened to me. We moved on, running at top speed towards the truck that was lying in our path. Jumping on it, I began to dress all of Relena's wounds before taking one look at my own._

_She glared to me. "Duo! You need to look at yours first! They're worse then mine!" I smiled and shrugged to her as I looked back to the battle we where leaving._

_"Yeah I know, Relena. But if I get to yours first you won't bitch to me about them later."_

_I winked to her and she slapped me on the shoulder. "Duo! That attitude is going to get you killed!"_

_I finished looking at her wounds. "Yeah, maybe I will. But I wouldn't have died in vain."_

_Her face fell in a downcast shadow, "Duo, I don't want to think about what would happen if you where to die. Don't think about that!"_

_I chuckled, "Don't worry! I'm not gonna die that easy, baka!"_

_Her face did not change, "Duo I never thought that Heero would have died either. We can't assume what would have worked out in a happily ever after story. This is reality. It won't work that way." She looked up, battling the tears that where forming._

_"Relena! You're not going to cry now, we made it out of their with our asses intact and if you don't believe it you can kiss mine!"_

_Relena then smiled. "You're never going to be serious are you?"_

_"When other people are so dark I have to make up for it. Good and bad make up reality and I don't want to think about what reality will turn into if only the bad is left."_

_She nodded, "I guess your theory is correct, what do you say we work on your injuries now?" I looked to her with that bullet pain in my stomach. "Fine, but you're not gonna like what you see._

_Relena put both of her hands on my shoulder. "Duo no baka! Now I'm going to have to worry about you!"_

_I slapped a hand on my forehead. "Ahh! So no matter what, I get to listen to your bitching, huh?"_

_"Yes you do!"_

I woke up and found myself looking to the ceiling, I looked to my right and Duo was sitting next to me. "Did you just give me another visions?" 

He shook his head. "No I didn't. It must have been another one left over from last night that I was holding back but got loose anyway. What was in it?" 

I thought for a moment. "It was you and Relena running from someone and you got shot in the arm. It was after I died and Relena was talking about how she didn't want you to die." 

He looked at me oddly. "Which time? That happens a lot!" 

I though for something that I could have said in more specific terms. "We made it out of their with our asses intact and if you don't believe it you can kiss mine." 

Duo grinned. "Promise?" 

"That was what you said." 

"Oh, I thought you where being nice. But I think I might know what you where talking about. Well, you saw the queen in the future. Is she really different now?" 

"Yes, but she acts about the same." 

"I have to admire her proud nature. She reminds me of you a lot." 

I glared to him and changed my position in the bathtub. "You're nice." 

He smiled, "I wasn't being mean." 

I shook my head. "Could you hand me the towel that you're sitting on?" 

He nodded and got off of it, standing as I stood up. I reached my hand out to grab the towel but he backed away. He shook my head. "I'm not going to fight you for one of Quatre's towels." He shook his head. "Just come and get it." He stepped back to the door. I got out of the tub after pulling the plug out of the drain and advanced towards him. 

"Can I have it back now?" 

He though for a moment and then threw it up in the air. As it was coming back down his fingers danced up and down my sides. I looked to him, about to ask him what he was doing but then he stopped and I grabbed the towel, backing away. 

"You never smile anymore. You rarely did before, I thought I could get you to smile." 

His smile was drowning into a frown. 

I though for a second. "Were you... _tickling me_?" He nodded and I felt myself beginning to do something I hadn't in a long while. I smiled. 

"Why would you tickle me if you were getting me to smile? You should know that I'm not ticklish!" 

He smiled. "Perfect." 

I gave him a sideways glance. "What do you mean?" 

He started up again "When ever I used to tickle you, you would give me the most serious face and then laugh at how pathetic I was. It was somewhat of the reaction I was hoping for here. I think it worked." 

It had worked. I was smiling. I hadn't smiled in a long time, sincerely. 

"Mission accomplished." He breathed and then I dried my hair with the towel. "How long have you been there?" 

He looked to his wristwatch. "Umm, it has been about five minutes. You're so cute when you sleep Heero." I began to dry my body. "And I suppose the fact that I was in the bath has nothing to do with anything, right?" 

He smirked. "Well, I'm not going to deny anything." 

I shook my head. "We should be going." I dressed quickly into the clothes I had stripped out of and looked to Duo, whose hand was on the door handle. 

"Yeah, I need to talk to you guys and get caught up to date about how you won the war so I can take it back with me." 

"No." 

He turned around. "What was that?" 

I brought myself between him and the door. "No." I said again. 

He looked confused. "What do you mean, no?" 

I crossed my arms and repeated it once again. "No, you are not going to get the information." 

He was now questioning. "Why not?" 

I kissed him on the lips, pulling away I stated the reason. "Because you're not going to need it. You're not going back." 

He was mad now. No longer confused or questioning, he was mad. "What do you mean? I though we said that last night-" 

"I didn't say or promise to anything; you're staying. I'm not going to let you go." 

"No, you're wrong here. I am going! I need to go back and win that war!" 

I shook my head to let him know that there was no way I was going to let him go back to that place while I was still alive. "Heero! I will go back! I will and when I do I will win that war! There is no place for me here!" 

"There is no place for you there either. Your place is here, it is where you were born and this is where you will stay. I'll say it again, I'll say it as many time as you like- I'm not going to let you go now that I have found you." 

He looked to move to the door but my hand intervened with his. "Duo, you can't go back." 

"You can't keep me here." 

"Yes I can. Even if you're stronger than me now, I will find a way. If you go back I'm going to follow you." 

Duo took a deep breath. "Can we talk about this later?" 

I nodded, "I think that would be best." We both exited the bathroom and headed for the main room where we would be addressing the others once again. 

* * *

"Heero? Have you come to your decision?" Wufei asked me as I walked into the room and looked to the others as well as Duo. 

"My decision is simple. I think it's fine that we tell him, but he's not going to need it." 

Quatre, as well as the other two gave me a questioning glance. "What are you saying, Yuy?" Wufei was the first one to speak up in response to my statement. 

"I mean that he won't need it. He is going to stay here." 

The rest looked over to Duo. "Is that true?" 

"In his mind it might be, but in reality it isn't. I'm going and he has agreed to it so all you have to do now is tell me about what happen here. I need to know as soon as possible so I can go back." 

The others nodded and we took our seats, Duo across from me, sitting with Wufei. Trowa and Quatre where both sitting together; I was sitting alone. As they told Duo of the events after he had disappeared. Their voices faded from my mind and I looked to Duo. Only Duo, he was the only one that I wanted to look at. 

He nodded in understanding, looking to Quatre. I wasn't going to let him go. I wasn't. He didn't understand how much I was really going to be holding him back when he tried to leave. For a moment, my eyes wandered over to the clock on the wall. It had been a couple hours since we had started our little meeting and I was feeling tired from all this. It might have been because I was not participating in any of the discussion, but I was getting tired nonetheless. 

Quatre noted that as he looked to me. "Should I cook us something to eat for an early lunch?" He offered and everyone nodded. Trowa got up to help him and Wufei left momentary, saying something about leaving something in his room. I looked back up to Duo who had just drawn in a deep breath. He stood up and walked up to me, sitting down besides me he waited me to do something. I sat there, and it might not have been the best thing for him to work with. I then looked over and he was about to say something. 

"Did you get the information that you where looking for?" 

He nodded. "More or less. I just wish that Deathscythe was still intact here. That would be really, really, really, helpful." I looked to the clock again. A few moments passed before anything else was said or done. "Great, you're giving me the silent treatment." Duo said, a little agitated. 

I shook my head this time. "No, I just couldn't think of anything to say." 

Duo looked down to the couch cushions, "Heero, how can I show you that I really need to go back?" 

I turned back to him. "Just give me the worse vision you have in your mind. Show me the worst thing that happened." 

Duo shook his head. "No, I'm not going to show you the worst thing." 

I looked to him sideways. "Why?" 

He simply said, "You're looking at it; I'm also reliving it. I can't relive that one. It will hurt too much." 

I nodded. "Could you just tell me what it was?" 

Duo took in a deep breath. "Heero, Oz doesn't just kill people. You can be abused many more ways then just with physical pain. Some have been trained at other things. Raping is one." 

I looked to him and his eyes where full of hate and resentment. Could they...? 

And this was the word that he wanted to go back to. "I'm sorry. I didn't know..." 

Duo looked back to me. "Just don't worry about it. I'll show you the reason that I want to go back so bad, okay?" 

I nodded and then he kissed me once again. The same sensation over came me and then I saw blue, the blue of a sky... 

**"Duo, you look sad today, why is that?" I looked to my right and Relena was sitting there. So this was the only** **thing Duo wanted to go back to...?**

**I suddenly felt.... jealous.**

**I didn't want to; she was special to him. He would go back to a world filled with war, hate, no hope, and grief just for** **her sake and no other. That was why I felt jealous. I wanted him to do that for me. But he wasted those feeling on** **her. No, I shouldn't say wasted, he must really care about her. With my body I turned to her and smiled. She was** **in something different, it must have been what she wore when the fighting was minimal or at a break, and she still was the daughter** **of a rich family; or it could have been something she salvaged.**

**She was wearing a pink sun dress with white daises sprinkled all around, and a pair of black sunglasses. We where** **laying in a meadow covered in green, green grass. "Relena-sama, it's nice to get away like this once in a while,** **neh? Bet Heero would never take you some place like this, neh?"**

**She nodded. "Oh, heavens no! He would take** **me to some moldy old safe house! It's nice here, thanks Duo."**

**I smiled to her and laid back in the grass. She also** **did and closed her eyes.**

**"When I see places like this I can't imagine that there is a war going on and that Heero is..."**

**"Shh, don't say it. We can relax for a little bit. Don't drudge up old memories, okay?"**

**"I can't help it, this is the type of day I would want to spend with him, all I can do is imagine that he's sitting here** **with us, next to me here in the sun, seeing this beautiful day-"**

**"Relena I don't want to say this, but shut up! The more you talk about it the more you're going to think about it.** **I'm here and I'm now Heero, okay. Think that I'm Heero. That might make you feeling better, okay." I embraced** **her petite body and I felt a tear slide down my bare skin. "Hey, don't do that. Be happy Relena, tears don't suit** **you."**

**She nodded. "Someone told me that once, I can't remember who. It was such a long time ago."**

**"I know, now just sleep, it's a good day to do so and I don't see a sweeter opportunity. Go for it." She nodded and** **shut here eyes, still curled up against my chest. I knew that I was jealous. I was raging jealous and now I was going** **to say it. Relena could be with him like this so naturally but if I even tried to touch him someone would raise an** **eyebrow.**

**That was why I was jealous.**

As I came to I noticed that everyone around me was staring at us. Duo blushed smiled to everyone. He didn't seem to want to tell them that it was the way of giving visions. He would let them think what they wanted and I would as well. I only told him to give me a vision was because I wanted to kiss him and nothing else. I didn't want a vision, I just wanted to kiss him. We were still close and I looked into his eyes again. I didn't care if everyone was still watching; I leaned forward and kissed him again. 

He was slightly surprised; but it slipped his mind that the others where still there. He kissed me back passionately, knocking me over onto my back on the couch. He was on top of me and kissed me again trailing his tongue from my mouth to my neck. I heard the others leaving and Wufei muttering about "Can't they control themselves?" 

Duo then stopped as soon as they left and then sat up. "Good idea." 

I questioned what he had said. "What do you mean?" 

"When you started to kiss me, you did it so they would leave and we could finish up talking. It was a good idea." 

I nodded sadly. He really didn't get it how much I loved him. "So do you see now, I need to go back for her." 

My voice came back, low but I needed to say it. 

"Do you love her?" 

"What? I couldn't hear you." 

"Do you love her?" 

He looked a little startled and then shrugged, "I have never though about that. I might, but I'm not sure if I do. I would have to think about it." He was so flippant about the subject. He didn't realize how much I loved him at all, what was I to him? He must have noticed my downcast face. "What is it Heero?" He really didn't know... 

After a moment of silence the others had come back in, ignoring what had happened earlier. I stood up just as Quatre sat down. He had made a lunch and I was turning to walk away. "Quatre, I'll talk to you all later, I'm just going to be in my room if anyone needs to talk to me." He nodded and I began to walk down the hall. Turing left in the first on and then left in the second one I saw that same painting from before. I looked to the reflection to see if I could make it out. It was of a human face, a girl. So his love for this girl was what he lost. 

I walked back, down one last hall way and turned right into my room. I sat down on the bed and didn't notice the foot prints that had followed me. It was Quatre's little terrier that wandered around the house not knowing which way was up. I believe his name was Jackie. He hopped up onto the bed with me and let out a little yelp. I raised my hand to pet him and he licked it before I could touch him. I wasn't sure why he liked me. He had peed on Wufei leg, so he didn't seem to like the Chinese boy. 

He barked and then jumped to my lap, waging his tail diligently. He started to lick my face and I struggled from his assault. He cocked his head to look at me and then barked, almost to ask how I was doing. 

"Why don't you just lay down? I'm thinking about getting some sleep myself." Jackie's head bobbed up and down and curled up into a ball along side of me. I lowered myself to the bed and continued to pet the dog as he fell asleep. Once in a while, he would kick around slightly or growled, probably from a nightmare. 

"So you too get nightmares, Jackie? Must be everyone in this world." I closed my eyes and tired to fall asleep, listening to the dogs little heart speedily beat next to my chest. Kicking again, he yelp a little louder this time and I opened my eyes again. 

He was growling to the figure in the doorway. It was Wufei. 

"How did you get that little beast to like you, Yuy?" 

I looked to him, "Jackie's a nice dog. He just doesn't like you. I don't blame him." 

"You've never peed on my leg." 

"I don't plan to either. What do you want, Chang?" 

"Here I was, trying to be nice and see how you where doing." Wufei eyed Jackie as he trotted up to him and looked to his baggy pants. He looked to the baggy pants to Wufei, and then from Wufei to the baggy pants. Doing that a couple more time, Jackie took a mouthful of fabric and began to rip the Chinese boys pants off. "What the hell- Yuy! Get him off!" Wufei kicked his foot around and Jackie re-gripped his position, this time biting Wufei's leg. Wufei took of running down the hall, dog and all. I walked back to my door and shut it, and then went back to laying on my bed. For once, I got to sleep. 

Now I just didn't want to wake up. 

* * *

End of part 2...   


**Into The Rain Index**

**Gundam Fanfiction Index**


	3. Chapter Three

**Into The Rain**   
  
**Part 3: Wounds and Predicaments**

* * *

I woke up to the dog that I had gone to sleep thinking of barking. Barking very loud, in fact. I looked to what she was barking about. The cloaked figure in the door way must have been it. I opened my eyes wider to see who the figure actually was. It was Duo, trying to shoo the dog away. Jackie jumped back up on my bed and licked me and then looked back to Duo and began to bark again. 

"Damn, there goes my stealth plan." Duo joked and walked into the room. Jackie jumped from the bed and jumped over to Duo, grinding her teeth into his leg. Duo winced and quickly tried to kick the dog off. Jackie jumped off and then jumped back to me. 

"Geez, a dog with an attitude. Now that is what I call a bitch." 

I looked over to Duo plainly. "In all fairness to Jackie, that's what she it." 

He nodded, "I was trying my luck at a joke, Heero." 

I nodded and pet Jackie on the head, stroking her fur down to her lower back. 

Duo tried to walk up but Jackie began to bark again. "She really likes you." 

I nodded. "And doesn't like you." 

Duo put his hands back into his back pockets. I saw his muscled stiffen from the rather tight tank top he was wearing. 

"I think I'm going to be leaving tonight. It was nice to see you again Heero, I'm gonna miss you." 

I stood up and thought out whether it would be worth it or not. I shook my head, I shouldn't be thinking if it was worth it. Of course it was! "Duo, I told you, I don't want to you go back, I-" 

"I came here for what I needed. I think it will be helpful and that's all that's going to matter." 

I looked to him. "I asked how you felt about Relena, but what I'm fuzzy about is how you feel about me." I felt rather self conscious saying that to him. But even so, I meant it and wanted an answer. He took a longer time to answer than the one about Relena. Jackie wagged her tail and then growled to Duo who had taken a step closer. 

"Um, if I'm gonna answer this I was wondering if I could be with you without the dog..." Duo trailed off and I looked to Jackie. 

"Go home, girl." I said in a soft voice. Jackie wagged her tail and hopped off the bed and left, but not before growling at Duo one for time. 

"How is it that you get girls to listen to your every word like that? I'll never know." Duo smiled and sat down next to me. 

"Well," I said with my eyes lowered to the sheets of the bed. 

"Heero, I can't say that. If I do then I'm not going to be leaving. It took me so long to get over you when you died, and that wasn't of my choice. It will be harder for me to do this of my own free will." Duo lifted my chin up and looked to me. 

"Heero, I think you know how I feel about you. It's between us, even if it was only said once. I can't hear it again." 

I defied him and let it exit my lips, "Duo, aishiteru." 

He shook his head. "No, don't say that! I can't hear it! I can't!" 

I kissed his parted lips. "Aishiteru." 

He drew away. "I think I'm going to leave Heero. Sayonara, Heero. Thanks again." 

I shook my head as he left the room. He was not going to go, he wasn't. I followed behind him, not letting him know of my presents; it was a stealth mission for me now. 

"Quatre, I'm going to go now. Thank you all again, would you mind if I took one of your spare cars?" 

"Of course you can, Duo! I really will miss you. At least now the mystery of where you went has been answered for me. I'm going to miss you more then you know. Good-bye." 

"Hai, good-bye." 

I followed after I heard the door shut and I knew that Duo had left the building. Quatre looked suspicious to me as he saw me sneak out of the house and follow Duo. Still, I think deep down he knew what I was doing. I hopped into the back of the car that Quatre had let him borrow. As Duo came in, I hide from his sight and tried to keep myself hidden to the best of my ability. Duo turned the radio on to some rock station and I heard him laugh. I didn't know what the laugh was about or for, maybe the music that we where listening to. 

I stayed wake in the back seat for what seemed to be three hours. Checking my watch every once in a while, I realized that it was closer to four. Then the car stopped. I looked around and saw the lights of a gas station, he must have been running low. He was outside and paying the man that was refueling the tank. I looked to the wallet that he was carrying and saw Quatre's ID in it. He must have snuck the wallet for the money. He handed a fifty to the man and he took it. Putting the wallet back into his pocket I noticed that the night was falling as well as the sunset. It looked like he would be driving through the night to get to his destination. 

I took in a deep breath. I was getting tired but I didn't want to fall asleep in case we reached the location and I lost sight of him. I was determined to fight my eyelids until the end, but for me the end was coming shortly. I heard the car door slam shut and Duo started the car back up and began to drive again. I decided that I would get a little bit of sleep now so I could stay up later. Shutting my eyes I fell asleep again. 

* * *

A awoke from a cold draft and that was when I realized that we had arrived at the destination. The cold wind was from the opened door that Duo hadn't shut. I got up and saw him walking into the night sky. I got up and looked around. The only light in the area was the safety lights in the car. Other then that there was black everywhere. I got up as I saw Duo's figure disappear. He must have been cold because of that tight tank top that he was wearing. I was wearing a sweater and I was still chilly. I got out of the car and took a look around at the area. 

Behind me that lights gave out and all I could see for that time was black. 

I waited a moment for my vision to adjust to the light. I looked around and the first thing that I could see was a dead oak tree in the foreground. I took another second and listened to the foot steps fade into the distance. I followed them, not trusting my eyes but relying on my ears instead. I took three steps and then I could see half way. I saw Duo's figure enter a dark building. 

I followed and as I finally got to the door I peaked in. My eyes widened as a green light devoured the room and what appeared to be a space tear opened before my eyes. The green was eating the room and then where it had already been digested the tear was glowing like the night stars. I looked into it like it was a scene from a science fiction movie. The next thing I saw was Duo stepping toward the light. 

"So Duo, is this where you are going back? Into some kind of gateway?" He spun around at my voice. I was obviously the last person that he was expecting to see there. 

"Heero?! What the hell are you doing here?!" He shouted at me, turning his back to the porthole. 

"I told you, I'm not going to be separated from you again. If you're planning to go in there all you will have to do is look behind you and I'll be there. I'm not going to leave you again." My voice came out harsher then I intended it to be. He looked so confused and I just wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be all right. 

"I-I don't get it Heero. Even after what I had shown you, you still want to go in? What the hell is wrong with you?! You'll never be able to get back! I don't even know how I got back here! You'll be trapped back there!" I shook my head and he took a step away from me and to the portal. 

"Duo. I don't care if I don't come back. There is nothing for me here, I hate who I have become and I'll do anything to get ride of him. If it means gaining you then I won't give it a second thought." 

Duo fell to his knees helplessly. "Heero, how can you be so naive?" The green glow covered his face like a spotlight. 

"Because I know what you mean to me and I'm not going to loose you. So let's go and save your world." 

Duo stood back up, slowly. "What about your son? How old is he? Is he going to grow up without a father? What will every one think of you disappearing?" 

I walked up to him and made him look me in the eyes. "Relena will be a good mother. I think Quatre knows what I did, he'll cover for me. Now let's go." 

Duo backed away and then tripped. "Shit," he cursed as he fell backwards into the porthole. I reached out my hand and grasped his, being pulled back into the gateway. 

Green surrounded me and tried to pull me away from him. I held tight and tried to pull myself closer to Duo who was falling backwards just as fast as I was. I saw a stray tear fall from his face and at the speed we where falling at, it splattered across my cheek. I looked down to him, he looked too beautiful. I knew I was doing the right thing... 

* * *

The time I woke up I realized that I had my arms wrapped around the braided pilot. I looked down to him and realized that we must have been in his time. I looked to him and he was stirring. As he awoke he looked up to me. "Crazy, I didn't think you would do it..." 

"Of course I would, baka." I took a look around. It had been a battle field, there where bodies everywhere. I looked to it in certain disgust. I had had enough of this in my life, and this was what Duo's life consisted of. The smell of gun powered and human flesh was in the air. I heard Duo yelp. I looked to him as he jumped out of my arms and to his feet. His eyes held a certain fright and I questioned it. He pointed to where we had been laying. I realized what he meant as I found myself sitting on a dead body. I jumped to my feet and looked to him. 

"Do you know where we are?" 

He looked around at the scene and shrugged. "I'm not too sure, just a second." He bent down to the corpse we had been laying on top of. He searched the body for an ID. "He was one of ours. But look at the uniform, we won this battle with a couple casualties," Duos aid gesturing to the body lying broken. I nodded. Then his eyes lit up. "I know this area! When I left we had been planning a sneak attack on this area! That would mean..." He looked around the area and then ran off. 

I followed behind him in a hurry. He was fast and I needed to keep up with him. He looked to the base and found a remaining room that appeared untouched. He looked around and found a phone that didn't seem to be damaged, maybe a little burnt, but nothing too bad. He picked up the phone and let out a sigh of relief. There must have been a dial-tone. He quickly punched in a series of numbers that I didn't bother to track. His voice was happy. 

"Ricky?! That you! Oh man! I'm glad that you are there! Mind picking me up here?" 

He waited for a moment and I could nearly hear the joy in the man on the phone's voice. He must have been worried sick about him. "Oh great! Remember that sneak attack that we had planned a couple days ago?" He waited and his eyes widened. "What do you mean that was three months ago?! It was just-" he stopped as he realized the facts. The time must have thrown something off. 

"Okay, well I'll see you and Relena soon, okay?" He hung up the phone and looked to me. "They're coming to pick us up." I nodded in response. He looked to the floor of the burnt down base. "Heero, I still can't believe what is happening," 

I walked over to him and embraced him. "Shh, it's okay, don't worry. Now can you tell me what you really feel about me?" 

He looked up to me and shook his head. "No, not yet. I'm not going to tell you now, not here." I kissed his forehead and he stayed passive, not that I was in any position to blame him for that. 

"Heero," I nodded and he felt it too. 

"I was just going to tell you to act normal around the others. They will suspect you from the beginning; they didn't know where I went. You will probably be greeted by a couple shiny gun barrels breathing down your throat, take it in stride. I'm telling this now so you know what to expect." I nodded, that was not surprising. I have to remind myself that this was still a time of war and I might have to revert to how I was in the war. I heard something coming from the outside. I looked back out and then saw a flash of white and a small growl. 

"Jackie?! What the hell are you doing here?!" Duo demanded as the little dog jumped into my arms. 

What was she doing here? Did she follow me when I was following Duo? 

"Aw man!" I heard Duo swear. "Now I have to deal with _that_ now!" 

I then turned to a car approaching. I heard a shout and a familiar face jump out of the car. "Duo! I missed you so much!" The voice called and then next thing I knew a wheat blonde mass of hair hand wrapped it's self around Duo neck. 

It was Relena and Duo smiled down to her. "I didn't mean to worry you. I'm sorry, but before you get out any guns-" he didn't have time to finish, Relena was holding a gun pressed to my forehead. "Who is he and why the hell does he look like Heero?!" Relena shouted and drug the front of the gun into my forehead as a warning. 

Duo pulled Relena away by the waist. "Well you know how I was gone? I went back into another- wait, that won't sound right. Okay, this is a different Heero from a different time line. It really is Heero so you can put your gun down." 

She was hesitant but she did it. She was much different from the Relena I left in the other world. She put the gun back into its holder and looked to me. "Is that really Heero?" 

I nodded, trying to look at her without glaring, her arms where now wrapped around Duos' waist. 

"Yeah, now let's get back home." Duo said and Relena nodded, as did I. 

I wasn't sure what it was about this world, but I was sure something bad was going to happen. Jackie must have sensed it too, because she licked my cheek comfortingly. I smiled to the little dog and began to walk to the truck. 

* * *

"So this is Heero?" Relena said, as she looked closer to me, crossing her legs. 

Duo nodded "From a different reality than this one. In their reality the war has been over for nearly a decade." 

Relena's eyes widened. "What?! You mean you came from a world without the war?!" She demanded looking to me. "How did it end?!" 

I shifted in my seat, not wanting to answer anything she asked me. 

"It came down to one decisive battle when Zechs became the leader of the White Fang and declared war on Earth. He threatened to throw a ship into the earth that would create the 'Meteor Theory' and recreate the way the dinosaurs died out. He didn't though, it was stopped by the Gundams." 

Relena shook her head. "Oz is all-powerful here. Treize, Zechs, Une and   
Noin rule everything. It's a dictatorship in the worse sense. Thank the lord for our latest plan." 

I looked to her questioningly. "Latest plan?" Relena looked to Duo for permission to tell me. 

He told me himself, "Catalonia is in the area. We are going to do a serious hit-and-run. She'll be dead by next week if everything goes to plan." His voice lowered while looking at me. He was so serious about it. Dead serious. 

"Heero, will you help us fight?" 

I took a moment to think. "I haven't been in any combat situation in ten years. I don't know if I would be of any help. I would, but I think I might be more of a handicap." I knew that was true, but I felt that I had to help since I had appeared here. I didn't want to be like Relena was in my reality. I mused with the thought of having a reality of my own. I was the only person in this reality with my reality. 

Duo crossed his arms. "Well I think training is an option that I could give you. Would you except that?" 

I nodded. "Of course I will train." 

"Good, then as soon as we get to the base I'll see what you are and aren't capable of." Duo was going to train me, I didn't feel right with that though. It didn't feel right at all, was he really that advanced? 

"Heero," Relena breathed my name and I looked up to meet her gaze. 

"Hai?" 

"Get some sleep, to go through Duo's training, no matter who you are, you will need it." Was his training really that rigorous? 

"Have you gone through some of it, Relena?" 

She nodded and then lifted up her shirt. My eyes widened, but she wasn't   
stripping for the fun of it. She turned around and I looked to three long scars across her back. "These where the fruits of my labors. He was going incredibly easy on me, you won't have that same advantage." 

Jackie looked to her and whimpered. She pulled her shirt back on and eyed the dog sitting on my lap. 

"I haven't asked about that yet, I think I will now. Why the heck do you have a dog with you?" 

Jackie bared her teeth to   
Relena who glared right back. "This is Quatre's dog, Jackie." 

She nodded. "So I take it Quatre is alive in your world?" 

I nodded and Jackie yipped at her owners name. "Duo I-" I stopped when I realized that he was laying again the side of the truck with his arms crossed sleeping. 

Relena looked to the front seat where the man named Ricky was diving. "When will we get there?" 

He looked back and replied. "In about two minutes." Relena looked back to Duo and brushed a stray strand of hair from his face. I felt my fist clench and   
she fixed her gaze on Duo. I wanted to rip her away. Well, I would just have to prove her wrong and pass Duo's training with flying colors. I would show her, not in the physical sense. I wasn't going to pick a fist fight with her. But I never thought that I would have a rival. After the two minutes I felt the truck's speed decrease and we pulled to a stop. Relena stood up, shaking Duo to consciousness and he looked around. 

"Back so soon?" 

Relena nodded. "We weren't that far away." He yawned, stretching himself out and then looked to stand up. Jackie jumped off my lap and to the floor where she began to chase her tail. 

"Let's go." I got up and Jackie followed me to the building. It was an old building, crumbling but it made a good base or HQ, depending what it was to them. I followed them to the door and then down the wide hallway. 

"Come on, Heero." Duo noticed as I hesitated into the building. He grabbed my hand and literally pulled me in. There where two guards at the door and both of them pointed guns toward me. 

"Who are you?!" The first one demanded. "At ease, boys." Duo ordered and they immediately dropped their guns to their sides and smiled. "Duo-sama! You're back!" 

Duo took a deep breath. "Hey, I just came back! Don't make me start with dropping the 'sama' part, neh?" 

They nodded. "Gomen." 

I walked past them, but they both looked ready to shoot me. It had been a while since I had that feeling, but I was used to it. 

I think the last person that was going to shoot me was the mail man after I finished verbally abusing him. Jackie then started to paw at my leg and I looked down. Having a child myself I knew that she wanted me to pick her up. I did just that the Duo chuckled. 

I looked forward to him. "What?" 

He shook his head. "Nothing, nothing. That dog has you wrapped!" 

I shook my head. "No, I'm just being nice to her." 

He nodded sarcastically. "Whatever you say, man." 

"Where should we have him stay? In the pilots quarters?" Relena said looked up to Duo. 

"No, he's a guest now. He's not going with those ruffians." 

She gave that a though but looked back to me. "Will he be sleeping there when he begins the training?" 

Duo hesitated. "I'm not sure. I haven't seen what he's capable of yet." 

I spoke up, "I will be able to handle it if you're worried about my stamina. I'm not afraid of a couple soldiers." 

Duo hesitated. "Well, maybe not a couple Oz soldiers, but we are pretty tough here..." 

"I'm not afraid." 

"Fine, I'll let you know when I make up my mind. If you spend ten minutes in there you might want to change your mind." 

I shook my head again. "I'll be fine." 

Duo gave up. "Okay, if you still want to after the first night here I'll let you." 

I felt like this was some kind of boot camp. I didn't want to be disrespecting my counselor, if that's what this really was. But Duo didn't seem to mind when I did. "Heero, come with me. Relena, I'll see you at dinner." 

Relena nodded sweetly and walked off. I looked to Duo and he wanted me to follow. I did as he wanted but stopped. I tried to see what he had stopped about and that was when I realized that he was looking directly at Jackie. "Oh, her." 

He nodded. "What will we do with her?" 

"We're not going to get rid of her. She's Quatre's dog." 

Duo nodded. "Got ya." He whistled to the dog to follow him but she growled to him. "Shit, I get all this from a dog, but not from any humans. That is screwed up." I nodded but whistled to Jackie who hopped over to me. 

"Where do you want to put her?" He gestured to a side room. 

"Put her in there, just don't forget to tell me she's there." 

I nodded and then Duo began to walk again. "Here, we'll go to the gym and that's where I'll see what you can and can't do." I followed behind him until we got to the double door set at the end of the hallway. 

He pulled them open and that gave way to a large dark room. I could hear two men dribbling a basket ball in the room and then the two scrambled out after Duo said something in English that I couldn't understand. You would think that of all languages I would know, English would be the big one. "Let's go." He flipped on the light switch and the gymnasium was flooded with light. "Let's begin." 

We walked to the center of the gym and stopped. "What do you want-" 

"I'll tell you when I want you to do something, just wait." 

He looked me over for a second, never speaking a word. He stopped. "Take your shirt off. That is unnecessary weight. Wait here, I'll get you something better to wear. That's useless." 

I wasn't expecting that, no one has ever called my wardrobe useless. They where all relieved when I had changed from the green tank top and black spandex. No one had complained since then. Duo reappeared in the room and tossed down an outfit for me to put on. It was very similar to his, as I looked it over. 

It was a tight black tank top and a pair of baggy black pants. These where plain, unlike the designed ones Duo was wearing. 

  
"Well." He stated and I looked to him. 

"What?" 

"Get dressed." 

"Here?" 

"A solider shouldn't be ashamed of him body. Put them on." 

I looked to the cloths. I wasn't talking about that. I did as I was told, stripped and then put the outfit of. I didn't realized how tight the tank top was until I put it on. This felt like my old wardrobe. He looked me over, letting a smile grace his face. "Now that is more like it." 

I waited for an order, since he felt comfortable giving them. "Come at me." 

I looked to him a bit confused. He understood and explained. 

"Come at me. Charge me. Try to kill me. Just let me see what you have now and what needs to be tweaked." I didn't want to hurt him. The Duo I had left was three times weaker then me, I was afraid I would hurt him. "What? You afraid you're going to hurt me?" He had read my mind. He glared to me. "You won't be able to. Treize can't even touch me. I doubt a washed up perfect solider who hasn't killed in ten years will be able to." His words where harsh. He sounded so serious. I knew he was doing this to make me mad so I would charge him, but still it hurt. I didn't make me mad, it... hurt me. 

"Come on! Don't go weak on me now, Heero! Where the hell is all the anger I used to know?! You used to beat me! Instead of kindness you hit me! Do it again! Try it! You are weak!" He shot to me, I felt like he had grabbed my heart ad was pulling it out slowly, pulling every emotion. Every emotion but the anger he press for. "Heero! Do it! You coward!" I let him continue but I didn't budge. I didn't show an emotion. If there was one thing that I could do, one thing that I kept from the war was the mask I hide behind. 

He looked confused. "Heero, why are you hesitating? Are you going to go cry to Relena?" Now that name was bringing up memories. They where ones that he was stressing for- hate. I hated her for what happened. I focused my hate on her, I didn't want any attachment to her. 

"Yeah, I bet that you want her here now that you realize how alone you really are here. You're alone. You're afraid even if you don't show it. You want her! Probably just to make you feel good, so you can use her! Why do you use the ones that love you? You can't take love! You turn it back into hate! To resentment! You aversion! Well, I have news for you, people turn   
that same hate back to you! Just like she did! This Relena here has smartened up! She doesn't love you! She despises you for what you did you her! To what you did to me!" 

I showed him no response. I couldn't hit him. I just couldn't. He took another moment to look me over. "I don't get it Heero, why won't you just get it out? I know the pain you're feeling. Why don't you just get it out?" His voice turned soft but then I saw that he had an idea. His eyes lit up. "Stay here, you good for nothing bastard." He walked out of the room and I stood at the center. 

Still at the center. 

What was he going to do? 

No matter what, I wasn't going to hurt him. I couldn't. I heard foot steps approaching and I looked to the door to see Duo come back in. But this time he had brought someone else with him as well. If he thought this person could make me madder then he had another thing comi- 

He walked in with his arm around Relena's waist and she was busy fluttering kisses down his neck. "You wanted me to do something, Duo?" 

* * *

End of part 3...   


**Into The Rain Index**

**Gundam Fanfiction Index**   



	4. Chapter Four

**Into The Rain**

**Part Four: Stones and Messagners**

* * *

"Yes, I did want to speak to you," Duo breathed into Relena's hair. "He's pathetic." 

Relena looked up to Duo, refraining from kissing his neck for a moment. "Hmm? Didn't we already know that?" 

Duo chuckled, "No, he won't get mad. He just stands there." 

Relena then fixed her gaze upon me thoughtfully. "Really? Shall I take a try at it?" 

Duo nodded. "Yes. That would be what my idea was. Be careful, love." 

Relena smiled and kept her haze fastened to me tightly. 

"Heero, don't be afraid to hit her." Duo said to me and crossed his arms. Was the Relena in this reality really that strong? 

"So this is the Heero from a peaceful world." She circled me like a vulture looking at the carcass of a dead animal. She licked her lips. "Well he certainly looks weaker then our Heero. I wonder if he's as tough. Doesn't look like it." I glared to her. She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Do you hate me? For what reason?" I opened my mouth but she put her fingers to my lips. "Oh don't tell me, Heero. Show me." I wanted to ripe those fingers off her delicate hands. Wasn't that what Duo wanted me to do? 

That seemed to be what he was stressing for. "Heero, she invited you. Do it." 

I kept my feet planted firmly on the ground. She laughed to herself and placed her hands on her hips. "Well I think he's afraid. He's not fit to know you Duo." 

Duo turned his back and Relena opened her mouth once more. "It's a wonder why he ever like you in the first place." That might have been the stray the broke the camels back. I tightened my fist and took a lunge at her. She dodged it with cat-like reflects. I never thought I would miss if I tried to hit her. 

She cocked her head. "Was that a punch? Or where you trying to shake my hand?" 

Duo turned around and before I knew he was in back of me. I felt my cheek lashed by a slap. "Heero, continue to fight. You can't wait till you get mad to fight some one. Keep it going." If he wanted it so bad I turned around to him. I swung my leg in his direction but he easily caught it. Flipping my down to the ground I aimed for his legs to knock him over, he jumped up as my legs came toward him. He smiled to me. "Come on Heero. You can do better than this." I got to my feet and tried to prove him right by swinging my fist towards his stomach. 

He blocked and with my other arm I swung to his face. Blocking that, I went to kick his legs out from under him, knowing that he couldn't block me with his arms. I began to move but before I could I felt myself doubling over in pain. He had done it first, but with a fist. Where did that come from? 

I gasped for breath, clenching my stomach. He grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled roughly so I would face him. He smiled and his knee smashed into my forehead. It was deliberate; he wasn't trying to injure me too badly on my first try. I was now lying on my back, trembling from the pain in my stomach. I moved over and struggled to get up. As I was on my knees and moving up to my feet he waited for me to get up. 

I stood up, fully now and looked to him. He walked over slowly: confident. He flipped me in one movement and I was on my stomach, falling from my neck. I moved to stand up. "Don't even think about it." I took in a deep breath and looked up to him. "If this was a real battle you would surrender or die. Don't push it when you can escape with your life. Surrender." I took a moment to think. Those words have never, ever left my mouth. I have never spoke them and I never thought I would have used them in this situation. I felt another slap, this time on the other cheek. 

"Idiot, if you need to think about it that could be a bullet lodged in your forehead! Say it when it's true! With this kind of hesitation you should be dead!" 

I turned my head upward and the deadly glare in his eyes nearly threw the words out of my automatically. But still I have to punch a little bit. "I surrender." 

He smiled and offered a hand up. "Good." 

Relena then tugged on Duo's braid. "Do you need me for anything else?" 

Duo shook his head. "Nope, thanks." 

She nodded, smiling and left, heading for the double doors. 

"I didn't realize that I had grown so weak..." I trailed off, but he chuckled despite the seriousness of my voice. 

"Heero, you're too tough on yourself. You haven't fought anyone for nearly a decade, that was okay!" 

I laughed dryly. "J should have killed me. I never thought I could be this weak." Again, I felt Duo's hand slap my cheek. 

By now I could taste the metallic blood tainting my mouth. "Baka, don't say that! We have a 'I will get better' attitude around here! I'm not gonna tolerate the 'I should be dead because I'm not as good at you' attitude." 

I closed my eyes for a moment. "I didn't know that there was a category like that. I should have expected that." 

Duo thought twice about slapping me again, but obviously went against his first instinct. "Heero. If you want to live here you need to have a better attitude. That's what got you killed last time. You expected since you had beaten Zechs before he would be a push over. I have news for you, people get better." 

I turned my back to him. "How the hell am I going to get stronger in the time I have now when everyone else is better?" 

I felt a hand on my shoulder. This one was comforting, unlike the previous. "You're still a perfect solider. We just need to change your oil." I hated that terminology. I wasn't some damn robot. I was human, even if I didn't want to believe it. 

"It's going to take more then an oil change." He draped his arms around my shoulder from in back. 

"Then we will just have to get you some new parts." 

* * *

Duo showed me to the bathrooms. Many young men where in there and he kicked them out with those same words that he had used before. If I could find a Japanese-English dictionary in this reality I would be sure to look it up. The bathrooms, of course, included a shower room and dressing room. Duos lead me to the shower part. He made me sit down and stay. I felt like a dog. Speaking of dogs, I needed to remind him about Jackie. 

He came back with a couple bandages and a cup of water. He set down besides me, we where in the changing room. "Look at me." I turned to face him and he dipped his fingers in the cup of water, it might have been a disinfectant, now that I was looking at it. He rubbed the liquid over a scrape I had on my forehead, next to my eyebrow. It stung slightly and in reflect jumped a little bit. "Baby." He teased and I narrowed my eyes to glare at him. 

He rubbed his fingers with the liquid covering them over a couple more areas that where on my face. Looking to see what was the larger of the cuts, he picked on of my cheek and the one next to my eyebrow. He took the bandages and peeled the paper part off. Sticking the band-aides over the cuts he pressed it firmly. "There, got your face done. Now that I think about it I think I was too hard on you. I was thinking you were the other Heero; you're not." 

Was that why he was so distant around me sometime? Because I didn't live up to the other Heero's standards? 

"Do you have any other injuries?" 

I looked back up to him, snapping out of my faze. "What?" 

"Any other wounds?" 

I shook my head, even if I was lying. Of course I did, but if it was one thing that I didn't loose it as my endurance. He shook his head. He knew that I was lying. "Here," he lifted up my shirt and I felt myself stiffen. He dropped it and looked to me. "Take it off." I did as I was ordered I saw what he was talking about. I have a large cut across my chest and that must have been what was hurting me when I landed on my stomach. He dipped his fingers in the liquid and ran two across the scratch. I tensed up at his touch. 

It stung more then I would have expected. He blew on it and that caused me to tighten even more. He scooped up more of the liquid and ran it across, blowing on that again. He repeated the process a bout more times and after the sixth time I was caused to question. "Why are you doing that so much?" 

"It's a deep cut, you must have landed on something. It's too large to bandage without slowing you down so I'm trying to seal it." 

It was short and simple and made since as well, I should have known not to question him. But I had another question that just kept running through my mind. "Duo?" I started and he shifted form my wound to my face. "Hmm?" 

"About the memories or visions that you have given me..." His face told me to continue even if his mouth didn't. "Well I was wondering how you can give them to me. Is it something with this reality? Is it some acquired skill? What is it?" He shook his head; it must have been from my question, was the answer that obvious? 

"It's actually a long story..." 

I smirked and I knew it. "That's never stopped you before." 

He chuckled and then covered his fingers again, still sealing the wound. "Are you sure that you want to know?" 

I nodded. It was a mystery that I wanted to know about. "Well, it was when I first came here..." he blew on the wound but then looked closely at it to see how many more layers he would have to place. "Go on." 

"As soon as I arrived here the first thing that I can remember is the sight of a young boy, he was dying. There was a bullet lodged in his chest that flew astray form a solider. "It wasn't supposed it happen this way," that is what I remember him saying. I knelt down and offered him my lap as his last moments where scattering. I asked him what wasn't supposed to happen this way? He looked up to me with the clearest eyes of some one that wasn't the boys age. There where years and years of wisdom in his glassy eyes, he handed me a little bag that he had kept tucked in his pocket." 

"He then looked up to me and said "you must see what I mean," I opened the bag to see what he was talking about. In the bag a dozen black stones but at the very bottom there was one white. He picked out the white when I was holding the bag open. He took the stone and pressed it to his chest and started to cough. In-between gasps of air he told me a little story. 'With every existence there are dozens of ways it could happen, do you ever wonder what would have happened it you made a different decision?' I nodded when he asked me that, he continued." 

"'When every there is a different way something could come out, it creates a different reality. It's like these stone, there is only one right way, one good thing and many tries. Like the black and the white, things can go different ways. This one was supposed to be the world where things when right, it hasn't happened, at least not now. I don't know how, but for some reason I think you can make a difference.' He handed me the bag of rocks, I took them and he dropped the stone back into the bag with the other stones. I looked at the rock and the boy's soul left." 

"I was touched by his words and it was at that point, at the instant that I touched the stone, I felt that what the boy was talking about. I knew that it was true and that was when I realized that things weren't right. He had died and he had know it. I think that the stones pass along memory along with the gift. However, the talent can only be passed with the passing of a life. I had received the gift form that boy, I don't know how or why he decided to give it to me, but he did. Maybe because I showed him kindness when he was dying, maybe because I was the only one there. I guess I'm not gonna find out anytime soon." 

I nodded, was that kind of fantasy really present in this world? Was there that kind of mystic power around here? I knew that people always have believed in a power that has been super-human, many people who want something to call it may call it "God." Others will call it kami or a goddess. Was that the type of encounter Duo had? Was that the reason he had been given the power? I looked to him as he stood up to put the liquid away. The wound was sealed completely. 

"Duo, how many other people have been given the visions that you can induce?" 

He turned to me, after pouring the remainder of the liquid into the sink. "Only you Heero, whether it be the Heero I knew, or the Heero I know now, it has only been both of you." For some reason that didn't make since, two of me? It still made me feel special, but he held me to completely different standards then that other me. I didn't like that at all. I was being compared to what I _could have been_. 

"Duo? Tell me about the other Heero." 

"The other Heero...?" He looked to me a bit confused, even though I didn't blame him. I was confused myself. I wanted to know about the other me Duo seemed to love so much. "Yes, tell me what he was like." Duo was almost ready to begin   
flabbergasting; he looked as if he was. "Well, um, what do you want to know...?" That was what he said as a response. 

"How was he different from me?" 

Duo put some thought into it before answering me. "Well, for one thing Heero in my reality had to stay tough, he was physically stronger then you, he kept his hair the same length. Umm, he discarded the tank top and spandex for our uniform. Umm..." 

"Duo, I mean personality wise, not physically." 

"Well..." he took a long pause. "This Heero was the one that was J's ideal perfect solider. He would do anything for the sake of a mission, no matter what it was..." Duo looked sadly to the floor as he took a seat next to me, but future then before. 

I moved a little closer to him. "Give me an example of the missions that he would do that made him so ideal." 

Duo stuttered even more, "I don't know why I said that, I guess you would take any mission, right?" He seemed to want to change the subject and as fast as I could. That wasn't like him at all and it caused me to linger on that thought. 

"He was different. He made up for things different and he was more aggressive..." that didn't surprise me- that was the only thing that didn't. Well, if there had been a war for fifty years I couldn't imagine not being aggressive. I wanted to know about the missions that Duo seemed to be avoiding. 

"Duo, what where the missions?" Duo stood up and began to walk away. 

"Heero, I'll show you to your room. Do you want one with the soldiers or a guest room?" He obviously thought more of the other Heero. 

My pride might have been getting in the way, but at this point it didn't matter. "Solider." Duo then turned around to look at me. 

"I'm not sure you want to do that, they're not too friendly to new people. Especially since you are Heero, even if you are a different one." 

I shook my head. "I can take it." 

He took in a deep breath, the obviously thought I was being moronic. "Fine, if you insist, but if you want to change then tell me! Don't let your pride get in the way of common sense!" 

Too late. 

I heard a small yelp coming from behind a locked door. Then it hit me. "Where did you put Jackie?" 

Duo chuckled. "Do ya want to see her?" 

I nodded, from that look he wasn't playing fair. "Follow me." He went to the door I had heard the yelp from and opened the dark room. He flipped on the light and looked to little Jackie in a cage. "I didn't know you had pets here before." 

He crossed his arms. "Oh, you mean the cage?" 

I nodded. 

"That's not for the pets! We use that to interrogate spy's! You can torture people a lot better if they're in a small area." 

"You torture them?" 

"If interrogation doesn't work and we need the information." 

"Don't you have a drug by now that can do that effectively?" 

He grinned to me. "We're not rich enough to get all those. Oz has put up a blockade that doesn't allow us get any goods." I nodded in response, but still torture? Jackie bit Duo's ankle and he glared to her. "Why the hell does that dog hate me so much?!" 

I shrugged. "How would I know? I'm not her." 

He began to walk again, "I'll show you to the soldiers quarters." 

I then followed him down another hall, passing at least six rooms. I wondered what all those rooms where for, I would ask later. 

We stopped outside another pair of double-doors and he opened them. There where about twenty soldiers sleeping and seven walking around. 

"Hey everyone, listen!" All of them fell into a silence and lines up in front of Duo. I felt like I was in grade school, being introduced at a new school. 

"We have an new solider joining us. His name is Heero Yuy. Make sure not to give him a hard time. If I get a report of anyone putting him through hell then I will punish you personally. I don't think you would want that." The soldiers grimaced. Some of them probably had to live through a punishment before. 

Jackie barked and jumped up to a certain solider and jumped up and down. That meant that she wanted to be picked up. "Go ahead and pick the dog up, Quinsy." The man named Quinsy picked Jackie up and she greeted him by licking his face. I saw him smiled. Jackie had an ability to sense kind hearts. 

"And I don't have to warn you about the bitch. She'll punish you herself." 

Duo then left. I looked to all the soldiers who went back to doing whatever they had been engaged in. Quinsy was petting the dog. 

I walked up to him. "What's her name?" He had to be around fifteen, young. 

"Jackie." I said simply and he smiled as she squirmed around even more, but not wanting to be dropped. 

"Ah, Jackie, huh? She's yours?" I nodded. If one wanted to be technical, she was Quatre's, but Quatre wouldn't probably see her again. I hoped he wasn't really attached to her. 

"She's a pretty dog, pure breed? You don't see many of those now days. I used to have a black lab, I have to get rid of him when I joined this group. I thought you where dead." I closed my eyes and tried to think up a reason. "I'm a relation to the Heero Yuy you must have know. I look a lot like him, he's my cousin. I was on L8 when I heard that he had died. I thought I could help out." 

He looked to me suspiciously. "Why the hell is your name Heero Yuy too?" 

"My family had a fixation on the pacifist that died many, many years ago." He nodded, but I didn't think that he was buying it. 

"How hard of an instructor is Duo?" I asked suddenly. 

"Let's just say you don't want to get in trouble and you always try your   
best around him." 

I looked to Jackie who growled at Duo's name. "Why is that?" 

"Let's just say that if you don't, you're in real deep shit." I didn't realize that Duo was this hard on people. He seemed open to talk to. He probably didn't want to get in trouble from Duo's warning. 

"What was Duo's relationship with my cousin?" 

He raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you know that?" 

I shrugged. "I'm not that close to my family, I only heard about his death and   
rumors about him. What was it?" 

He took a moment to think about how to phrase it. "Umm, well, Heero and him where real close. I'm not sure how close, when ever those two where together I saw the way they looked at each other. If there was anything outside of longing, it's beyond me. They wouldn't let it get out. Duo was pretty depressed when Heero died, so I heard. After that he toughen up beyond reason. I think he was trying to keep Heero alive by acting a part of him." Was that it? Was that why he acted that way? 

"But you know, I wasn't apart of this group when that all happened, I heard it from other people. Even if there is the war going on, we keep the gossip flowing. Duo's always the one we find ourselves talking about, don't know why." I suddenly lost my footing from a push. Tripping, I picked myself back up. "Hn, Yuy. You sure lost your touch after your death." 

One of the soldiers confronted me, glaring with death in his eyes. "He ain't Yuy! He's a cousin of Yuy's!" Quinsy tried to say but the other guy shoved him backwards. 

"Ruddy, don't give Duo a reason to kick yer ass!" I heard from behind. "Shut up! I don't think that Yuy would tattle on any expense." 

He was right. Duo's order didn't weigh anything on these soldier's shoulders. I wouldn't tell. 

"What of it? What do you want?" Ruddy shoved me backwards for good measures. 

"I wanna kill you for screwing Duo up so bad, jackass!" 

I questioned his statement, but didn't get a chance to think it out. His leg lashed out and tripped my, I crashed to the floor. 

"Ruddy! Stop it!" Quinsy tried again. I admired his ability to speak up against that some one stronger then him. 

"Heh, I'd be careful about your own skin!" Ruddy approached me as I sat on the cement floor. 

"Ruddy! I'll tell Duo of you even touch him!" Ruddy stopped him his tracks. He knew that he would tell and that was the weight. 

"Che. Be lucky Yuy! In battles there are a lot of casualties and it doesn't matter from which end they come. A stray bullet just might pierce your scull." Idle threat. What a bastard. Ruddy backed away and left the room. Quinsy was the first up and offered me his hand. I accepted and he smiled to me. "Hey, the bunk I have had an extra space. You want top or bottom?" I shrugged, wiping the dust off my knees. 

"It doesn't matter to me." He nodded and Jackie jumped to the spare bunk, it must have been his. 

"Okay, then let's get you unpacked!" 

"I didn't bring anything." 

"Huh? Nothing?" 

"I left in somewhat of a hurry." 

"Really, well I can see why. How did you get here and when?" 

"As soon as Duo got back." 

"Hm, where did he go?" 

"To pick me up?" 

"Well I guess, but he said something about information, where did he get that?" 

"You seem to think I have all the answers. I don't know." 

"Sorry! Geez, you act just like him!" 

"Who?" 

"Your cousin." 

"My...? Oh. It runs in the family." 

"Hey, mind if I ask you a personal question?" 

I shrugged, I guess I didn't mind. If I didn't want to answer I didn't have to. There wasn't any harm in him asking. "Has Duo made any passes at you?" Or maybe there was. I felt uneasy, dammit. 

"Why would he?" I looked away from Quinsy so he couldn't see the expression plastered to my face. 

"Well you look so much like Heero, why wouldn't he. I don't think he would   
do it to just any of his men, but since you look and act so much like him..." 

"You assumed wrong." 

"Okay, okay! I got it! You sound mad, why is that?" 

"Nothing." 

Jackie yipped and that made Quinsy smile as I turned back around. "This dog thinks that you're not telling me that truth, what is it Heero? You can tell me! It's not as if I would tell!" 

I glared to him. Great, I was already glaring at people. "I think I'm going to get to sleep." 

"What? At this time of day?" I nodded and laid down on the bunk, I probably was getting too much sleep, but I kept feeling the need for it. I hope I wasn't catching a cold. Jackie jumped to the lower bunk I was on and snuggled up to my chest. While I shut my eyes I could hear Quinsy mutter something to himself, "che, be that way." 

I will. 

I will. 

* * *

End of part four   


**Into the Rain Index******

**Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index**


	5. Chapter Five

**Into the Rain**

**Part 5: Chains and Companions**

* * *

_I heard voices; they where intertwining with my dreams._

_Were these the visions again?_

_No, something different._

_I didn't get the same feeling that buried in the pit of my stomach when I got the visions._

No, this was from my own mind; it was a good old fashion nightmare. Everywhere, the distance smells   
of gunpowder. It must have been like back in AC 195. That wasn't right, here was a continuing AC   
195, the same as what I had gone after. Only worse. Oz was taking the initiative and there were too   
many causalities. Too many. 

My eyes snapped open at the sound of a horn. I looked up and the first thing that I saw   
was a broken ceiling. All the soldiers where getting into their uniforms and rushing out into   
the hallways, standing attention at the person walking down the hall. I stood up and   
followed the crowd out into the hall. Standing at attention as I had previously learned to do,   
I waited to see the captain. 

"Okay, today we are going to notch up the training program. I have set up an obstacle   
course outside and at the very end you will have to fight me in combat." Duo said as he   
walked down, looking the soldiers over from top to bottom. He smiled to me when he   
came up. "Let's head outside, I want two straight lines." As a solider I followed my   
superiors order and fell back into the second line. He led us outside where it was   
sprinkling droplets of rain. 

"I'll give a demonstration. Each solider at the front of the line will follow, the next will go ten   
seconds after the first." 

"Yes, sir!" The lines called. I was fourth in the second line so I would have to wait forty   
minutes. Duo started by climbing the first wall, the two first in the line waited ten seconds   
and then followed. The next group went and I couldn't follow them over the wall that had to   
be over thirty feet up. Then after the one ahead of me took off I counted to myself. 

One. 

Two. 

Three. 

Four. 

Five. 

Six. 

Seven. 

Eight. 

Nine. 

Ten. 

I ran to the wall along side the other solider who seemed to be struggling up the wall a bit.   
Walls were easy; I didn't have any trouble with them. After the wall you had to swing across   
from one platform to the other. As I looked at the distance I eyes the length of the rope. It   
wouldn't work with that short of a rope. At the climax I would have to jump and land on the   
very edge. The thirty foot drop would hurt those that didn't make it across. I swung and   
noticed that there was already one person that was on the ground, they didn't notice the   
short rope. 

There was also a physician along side him, at least Duo was being reckless in a safe   
way. I jumped to the other platform to the ground after making it down a latter. The rain   
was falling more prompt and that was making the activities harder, gripping might be   
affected. Yes, and of course the next event was a series of jungle gym bars. As I noticed   
the pair ahead of me had swung up and was crawling on top of the bars. 

As I looked down to see what they were trying to avoid I noticed that there was another   
group of soldiers, more likely practicing offense, trying to pull the others down. I swung up   
as well; it was safer that way. As I looked back this time, the pair behind me were pulled   
off completely; they didn't act quickly enough. However, the one ahead of me was still   
swinging. I think it was Ruddy. He was kicking at the other soldiers, playing offense. 

With his kicking fits he sent two of the soldiers down to the ground, bleeding from the   
mouth, face or body in general. "Jackass," I mumbled to myself. I picked up my pace and   
decided to teach that guy a lesson. As I caught up, I stepped on his fingers and sent him   
tumbling to the ground- he was out of the race. 

He looked up to me and glared, I think it was at that moment that I realized my mistake. I   
kept going as he shouted a number of profanities at me, leaving him as a forgotten   
memory. Now there were only five individual solider in front of me, excluding Duo. 

After we dropped form the jungle gym to the ground there was a track field. Straight   
ahead, it looked to be one sixth of a mile. Running? What was the catch? My question   
was answered as another group of solider began to throw things at us as hard as they   
could, but they weren't offensive objects, more like paint balls. I got it now; if you got hit you   
couldn't deny it and were out at that point. Dodging. 

This was again, something that I could do. 

Was the only thing lacking in me the hand-to-hand combat? 

I made it to the end and that was where the solider stopped, was that the end of the   
obstacle course? Duo looked at all of us. "Everyone that has more than three hits on him   
leave now and run around the track seven times!" He walked up to me and raised an   
eyebrow. "Heero, where were you hit?" 

I shook my head. "I wasn't hit." 

His eyes got a little bigger and looked to my in disbelief. "Really? I even got hit once, how   
did you not get hit?" 

I spun around once. "I didn't get hit. I can dodge well." 

He nodded. "I guess you can, meet me over by the entrance after this is done, okay?" I   
nodded. What was that about? 

"Okay, all of you come at me and see if you can get a hit in." Duo shouted so all the   
solider heard. Out of the fifty that where there originally, now there were only fifteen. Still,   
one against fifteen were uneven odds. All of them attacked, despite that. I waited for a   
moment and watched. Three at once went flying to the ground, k.o.ed. I felt dizzy; nothing   
made sense. 

I woke up in a bed, where was I? 

I looked around; I was in an unfamiliar room. What happened? Until after the fight begun   
things blanked out. 

"So you're awake? Are you okay?" I looked up and saw Duo walk up to me. 

"What happened?!" I demanded as I looked to his bruised and blooded face. 

"You mean you don't remember?" He sounded almost scared. 

"What do you mean?" 

"What do you think I mean?! Heero! Why did you hide that power when we fought before!" 

"...power?" I questioned; he had me confused. 

He shook his head and walked up to me. "I'm through with playing around Heero. I want to   
know what the hell is going on. I'm gonna give you another vision, but this time it will be   
from your memory! You need to know what you did and what you were feeling, if you don't   
do that then I won't get any straight answers!" 

"What do you mean?" I asked again but he walked up to me, held my arms and kissed   
me. One of those hazes came back... 

**After another six dropped out because they where injured I decided to try my**   
**hand, even though I knew that I wasn't a problem to him. I was going to show**   
**him, he wasn't going to boss me around again!**

**As two went flying backwards I snuck in between the two to a turned back. As he**   
**spun around, I turned to the left where I was still out of view. From there, I made**   
**my own attack, knocking him in the back of the knees- that was what I was aiming**   
**for. As my leg met flesh I took in a breath, I hit him. I did it; no one had done that.**   
**Why the hell where they all treating me like I was so weak? I was sure a lot**   
**stronger then those bastards!**

**As I knocked his leg he fell forward, catching himself and spinning around. He**   
**looked to me in shock and as I looked to him I gave a confident smile. He knew**   
**what was happening, even if he didn't want to admit it. I was stronger.**

**All at once, I felt a surge on energy engulf my body. I quickly sidestepped a pair of**   
**bodies being knocked down and faced him head on. He made a move to give an**   
**uppercut but I caught him arms in a blaze. I didn't know, it was an adrenaline rush**   
**like I had never felt. As I held his arm captive I felt my knees naturally knock him in**   
**the stomach. Before I knew it he hunched over and I noticed the blood on his**   
**face staining his mouth. The other soldiers stopped dead in their tracks and**   
**watched the scene.**

**"What the hell-"**

**I heard one of them say. To the one that said that I picked Duo up and by the**   
**arms swing him, knocking the other soldiers down. Half were unconscious and**   
**the other half struck with fear. I threw Duo over to the side and then promptly fell**   
**over as my world turned to black.**

He drew away and turned around. "Where did you get that power? I didn't mean that I'm   
mad, I just want to know why you acted to weak before!" 

I shook my head. What the hell was that? What happened to me? I was still me, but a   
different kind of me... Wait, why was Duo so upset? It wasn't because I was just stronger   
then him, it couldn't have been. 

"Duo, what's the matter? You're almost scared." 

"You bet I am! You acted exactly like the old Heero! The one I knew! You where the mirror   
image inside and out! He moved like that, he didn't stop once he had won he pushed.   
That was what happened, if was like you were him! You don't know how scary that would   
be!" 

"What?" 

"You heard me, Heero, are you that strong naturally?" 

"Hell no, I don't know what just happened, are you sure that was me?" 

"Who else would it be?!" 

"Gomen." I looked to him sternly, I didn't know why I got so strong all of a sudden. I moved   
like water, I felt strong, stronger then ever before. I was so confused this time. My head   
was about to split in two, I looked back to Duo. His back was turned from me. Why was   
he so scared if I was as powerful as the other Heero? They where on the same side, and   
to top that all off he was in love with him! 

I walked up to Duo and wrapped my arms around him from behind. He was shaking but he   
didn't move away. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure how that happened. I was probably just   
motivated that time." Duo ran a hand through his hair and turned around to look at me.   
"Heero, you wanted to know earlier about what the difference between you and the other   
Heero was, right?" I nodded. "And I gave you a reason but didn't expand, do you still want   
the answer to it?" 

I nodded again, this might have been the answer to everything. 

"Well Heero would do anything for his missions. He was like an Oz solider in that aspect."   
I held Duo in my arms until he spun around and kissed me again. Once again, I was   
devoured in the vision that Duo was planting in my head. Now I would get my answer... 

**Dark.**

**The room was only lit by a stray light.**

**Bound.**

**By ropes to a chair.**

**Fear.**

**I felt this more then anything.**

**This one was different then the other ones, this was was more serious. I hadn't**   
**felt his feelings this strong before, ever. Yes, this one was very different.**

**I could hear my heart in my chest.**

**Struggling to hold on to my body, which was shaking like a leaf in a storm.**

**The fear...**

**The fear was...**

**"Hn. Comfortable?" The shadowed figure asked. I raised my gaze to him, still**   
**shadowed. "Why?" I asked through Duo's mouth once more. My body was sore,**   
**that was when I felt it. Bruises stretched over my skin. The**

**pale surface that I could see was tinted with purple or red.**

**"You son of a... why?" I paused, slowing my breathing. "All I need answered is**   
**that, why won't you answer me!!"**

**"Mission, baka."**

**That was... that was...**

**It hit me- that was me!**

**Behind the shadows, it was me!**

**Wait... did that mean that...?**

**He stepped out, yes. I could see it all clearly. He was the same as me, only taller**   
**and built a little stronger. He kneed at the foot of the chair and that was when I felt**   
**tears trickle down my face. "You always seem to leave me**

**crying in the end Heero, why is that?"**

**I saw myself smirk. Bastard!**

**"Because that's how it will always be, Duo." He kissed my lips roughly, cupping**   
**my face in his palms. But it hurt, was this how Duo felt when ever I kissed him?**   
**Did it hurt like this...**

**So I was the one that raped him...?**

**This was the reason he didn't seem to trust me...**

**But why does he still love this other Heero...?**

**I am so confused.**

**As the other me trailed the kisses down my body I felt my eyes close tightly and**   
**sob. That was when it ended, I didn't want to see any more...**

I looked back to him and buried my face in my hands. "I didn't... did I?" He nodded, still   
looking at me. I had so many questions but didn't know where to begin. "And you still   
loved him?" Again, he nodded. I shook my head. "How? Why would you love him like that   
when you... when he did this to you?" 

"Because despite all that, I knew who he was. I couldn't help but love him, even with how   
much I ended up getting hurt." 

"But then why can't you love me when I did nothing to you?" 

"I'm not sure myself, I have no idea. It's so hard to think like that. And when that happened,   
when you fought me, it was him. I swear it was." He looked so lost. I had nothing else to   
do besides do my best at comforting him. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders,   
hoping to help him some how. Even if it was useless I could still try. "Heero, you are   
serious? That you don't know what happened?" 

"Hai, I don't know what happened." 

"I just don't know what to think any more. I thought I had it figured out, but now that I meet   
you again I don't know what to think. Are there such things as miracles? I know you   
haven't done anything, but I can't help but believe that you will. The other Heero, I think that   
he loved me, but he did nothing but show his cold side, even when he kissed me it was   
cold... Only those moments that I hardly ever got to see, those were the ones that I wanted   
to keep. When it felt like it meant something. That was why I always went back to him..." 

"There are such things as miracles. How else would I have been able to come here? To   
see you again? You need to trust me." 

"I just can't, when you showed me that flash of the other Heero I just can't..." 

I pressed a soft kiss on his forehead. What could I do to prove it to him? 

"The soldiers..." 

I spoke softly. "What about them?" 

"How are they treating you?" 

I denied myself the urge to chuckle. "Ruddy is out to kill me, but besides that everything is   
fine." 

"Ruddy's a jackass. Don't mind him. Heero, do you still want to stay with them?" I hoped   
that I knew what he was getting at. I tried to play along. "What else would I be able to do?" 

"You could stay here." 

"Where is here?" 

"Well if you didn't notice earlier, we are in my room, baka." Wasn't that my line? It didn't   
matter; I needed to prove to Duo that he could trust me. "Hm, I think I want to now. That is,   
if you could trust me." 

"That's what I'm hoping to discover, trust." I let myself smiled as he leaned for support   
against my chest. "Don't worry. Mission accepted." 

Then he smiled and pushed back a little harder so I fell backwards, him as well. 

"You let your guard done. Tsk, tsk." He scolded, laying on his back on top of me. "You   
gotta learn to keep more attentive." 

"I'll try better next time," I replied dryly. 

"Be sure you do." At least it was the bed and not the hard cement floor. Duo flipped   
around as I began to relax and laid his cheek to my shoulder. Smiling, he pulled on the   
blanket that was over me and not him. 

"Not fair not sharing. They're mine, you know." I pulled the blanket from under him and   
held it up. 

"Be my guest." He pulled the cover up to him chest, still laying on me as well. 

"I wanna relax now, it's not too fun being beat up by some one who doesn't even know that   
he did it." I smirked to him. 

I decided to catch him off guard. Rolling on top of him in a liquid motion, I looked down to   
him with intense eyes. "Now you better learn to be more attentive as well." I said and   
leaned down to kiss him. 

As I broke away, he smiled up to me. "Hm, who is saying that I didn't see that one   
coming?" 

"I don't care if you did or didn't, I'm not about to complain." I kissed him once again,   
lingering longer. He encircled his arms around my neck. This was one thing that I was not   
going to complain about at all. "Do you lock your doors?" I found myself asking. 

"It doesn't matter, what's the harm in some one walking in on us? Fifty lashes? No, they   
will just get a nosebleed and run. It's not as if someone hasn't walked in on me before." 

"Good point." I said softly and took a moment to gaze down to him. God, I had missed   
him so much. His cobalt-violet eyes glowed up to me, his hair dangling over his face. With   
my hand I brushed it away. 

"You're sure I'll be able to trust you?" 

I nodded. "And if you find out you can't, just beat me up. You won't have any trouble doing   
that, will you?" 

He shook his head. "Let's not worry over the detail, just be trust worthy and spare that   
thought." 

"Don't worry. I'm not going to postpone anything right now." 

"Good." 

No, I was never going to hurt him. I could never bring myself to do that. Maybe I had grown   
soft. I wasn't going to worry about that. If he wanted some one that was soft I would be   
there, and else where, I would bend myself to meet his standards. 

As I paused he seized my slightly opened mouth with his and slipped his tongue inside. I   
decided not to dawdle, because if I did he was going to steal the top away form me. I had   
gotten it first and fight for it. 

"Heero?" 

I drew away for a second to ask what he was about to say. "Hai?" 

"You're always going to be there, right?" 

He must have been feeling self conscious about the other Heero. I wasn't going to worry   
him. "Yeah, I'm always going to be here, it's a promise." I felt his joy show, physically and   
mentally. 

"Okay, enough talk." 

"Agreed." 

* * *

I heard some one walk out of the room as I woke up once again. So some one had   
walked in on us. At least it was after, I'm sure Duo didn't want to clean up any blood. I felt   
myself smiled to the weight on my chest. The soldier wakened me, as Duo remained   
sleeping, maybe I wasn't that badly out of shape as I had thought. Duo's long hair spread   
out around me like a blanket on top of the other blanket. 

I moved my arm, just one of them, from his waist to stroke his hair. He began to stir and   
looked up to me. "Oi, what time is it?" I looked to the clock on the wall. 

"Hm, it about ten at night." 

"Then why did you wake me up?" 

"Because I wanted to see your eyes." 

He grinned and laid his head back down on my chest. "You are too sweet for your own   
good some times, did you know that?" 

I shook my head. "I wasn't aware. I always looked to myself as a cold, heartless bastard." 

"Well I'm not going to deny that one either." 

I chuckled. "So what are we planning tomorrow?" 

His voice took on a low, dark tone. "Chapter 67: Dorothy's assassination." I tried to   
lighten the tone. "Sixty seven chapters? When will it lead into the third book?" 

"By Chapter 68, we will be in the next book. Knocking the leaders off one-by-one is the   
plot, and the title of book three is: Ending. I think that Shinigami's death will be in that book   
near the beginning chapters..." He trailed off and I stopped stroking his hair. 

"No, you're wrong. You're the hero of the book, you're not going to die." 

He looked up to me with sad eyes. 

"Ahh, but that isn't true. I think that you are the hero of the book. You of the other reality,   
not this one." 

"No, you are the hero, you are the one that will lead this world to peace. You are the only   
one with that power." 

"Power? Brute force is more like it." 

"What are your strategies for killing Dorothy? What part am I going to play?" 

He shook his head sternly. "You aren't going to do anything. You are going to remain   
here. I'm not going to let you go out into any battle with your experience." 

"Thanks a lot." I said sarcastically. 

"No, it's just that I'm not going to lose you that easy. Would you let a solider that hasn't had   
the proper training go out in a 25% chance victory battle?" 

"Are those really the odds?" 

"Hai, we are going to pull a sneak attack during the earlier morning tomorrow. Those are   
going to be our best chances. All the guards will be just waking up and not suspecting.   
They didn't even know that our base was here, so they won't think that we would travel from   
where ever we were to get to them." 

"Well if that's the case I think you better get to sleep now if you're going to need to lead   
your troops." 

He nodded. "I'm glad at least that you're not putting up a fight about going." 

"Why would I put up a fight when there is no question in my mind that I am going?" 

* * *

End of part 5   


**Into the Rain Index**   
  
**Back to the Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index**


	6. Chapter Six

**Into The Rain**

**Part 6: Never and Forever**

* * *

I woke up before him once again, dressing in my uniform. He was taking me with him   
whether he liked it or not. He would have to beat me up, drug me, and then tie me down   
with chains before I would even think about not going. I needed to sharpen combat skill;   
this was the perfect opportunity. He stirred and looked up to see me fully dressed.   
"Heero! I thought I told you that you weren't going!" 

"You can't say no to a solider in uniform that is prepared to give his life for you." I said   
simply and Duo shook his head. 

"You wanna bet?" 

I nodded. "Just try to say that I can't go." 

He parted his lips just as I sat back down next to him. My hand went out and caressed his   
cheek. Bribery? 

Possibly. 

Deception? 

Hardly. 

Trying to put sex appeal to good use? 

You bet. 

"Heero I'll say it once, I'll say it again you are-" I slipped my fingers down to his neck and   
brushed my hand through his hair. He purred like a kitten and I smiled; it was working. "If   
you keep doing that and brush my hair out, you get to come." 

"Okay." 

"But you have to stay in the truck." 

There he was, trying to be himself again. "No, I'll fight. I know how to use a gun." 

Duo nodded and rested his head against my shoulder. "Don't stop. You need to brush my   
hair out next." 

I nodded and asked him gently, "Where is your brush?" 

Duo gestured over to the dresser. "Third drawer to the left." I walked over and pulled of a   
brush. He shook his head as I walked back to him. 

"Something on your mind?" I asked as I began to run the brush through his tangled hair.   
Most of the tangles were my fault anyway. I hadn't realized how long his hair was until I had   
gotten a chance to brush it. How did he manage it? 

"Heero, why do you want to fight so much?" 

"Because I don't want to be rendered useless." 

"You're not useless! Only a little rusty." 

"Then let me fight." 

"No, this is a high-level plan, I don't want you to get kill-" 

"And I won't." 

I stressed and he shook his head. "Heero, no matter who you are in any time, you will   
always be stubborn." 

"Hai." I found myself answering simply. He was getting agitated. "I'm coming to fight and   
that's all there is to it." 

That was when he gave up, he finally found that it was pointless to argue with me. That   
was smart. I heard him mumble under his breath a couple words, namely 'damn stubborn'   
and a couple others. "We need to hurry if we want to start everything on time," Duo then   
said after a moment of undisturbed silence. I nodded and finished combing out his hair as   
he began to tie it back into a large braid. 

"Let's go." He said standing up and walking to the door after reading himself for the job.   
He was the leader and without him the operation would be put to a halt. I followed him   
down the hall to a large room where all the other soldiers were standing at attention waiting   
for him. I wasn't sure were I was going to stand so went he walked to the front I dropped off   
at the side where the lines started. 

"Okay everyone. We have gone over this plan time and time again. Over that time we   
have perfected it. Now we are about to set that very plan into motion. If anyone does not   
want to come I advise you to stay behind because in the long run you will become a   
liability. Are we clear? We will begin loading the trucks and mobile suite in a matter of   
minutes." He said and the room was silent. "Are there any question?" 

Again, silence was the only noise. "Good, let's go." 

The lines walked in unison out of the room, there had to be thousands there, and all their   
lives were in Duo's hands. I never thought Duo to be the type for that kind of position but   
he deserved it. I watched him look to the four that were standing behind him, captains,   
probably. He talked with them for a while, I didn't know where to go so I waited. 

After a couple more minutes, Duo approached me as the four other men dispersed. "Well   
Heero, let's go." As we walked I heard a pair of running foot steps catching up to us. I   
turned around and looked at the girl with long wheat-blonde hair. "What is it?" Duo asked,   
coming to a halt. 

"I was just catching up with you, I'm sorry that I'm late." She said and took a moment to   
catch her breath. 

"Relena, I don't want you to come with us for this." 

"If Heero is going then I should be able to." 

"Heero is a stubborn ass, I'm hoping that you're not as bad as him." 

"No, I'm a stubborn ass as well. Therefore I'm going." 

Duo let out an exasperated sigh. "Every where I look are people that don't know when to   
give up." 

I had to smile at that. "Well at least you know those people are going to stay alive longer   
than the others." 

He chuckled at my statement and I even brought a smile to Relena's face. 

"I couldn't have said that any better." 

I looked around as we boarded the truck, throughout Duo's rebel group there were only   
seventeen mobile suite, the others were experienced terrorists. That was what they had all   
been brought about for, that was what they were supposed to be. With Duo's superior   
piloting capabilities it surprised me that he was leading the brigade of guerillas. 

Relena was sitting next to Duo again and thinking with her hands cupping her face, being   
supported by her knees. Duo was leaning back with his arms leaning on the seat in back   
of him. As for me, I was busy thinking. I had been given a weapon to fight with and I would   
have to undoubtedly use it. In the plan we were going to surround and surprise. Mobile   
suites taking out the outside forces and the other soldiers, the majority, would be running in   
and slaying those inside until they surrendered. 

Even if they did surrender, we would kill Dorothy Catalonia no matter what. That was the   
main objective, even if we couldn't take over the base; her death was top priority. 

"What are you thinking about?" Duo's voice suddenly snapped me out of my trance as I   
looked over to him. I shook my head and looked down. 

"Just going over plans in my head." 

"Well stop, it's about to combust." He said playfully. 

I must have been thinking too hard. "How long will it be until we arrive there?" I asked and   
Relena answered. 

"That depends on how early they detect us. We are going to go at a relatively slow speed   
until they find us, and then attack full-force." I nodded, but that didn't answer my question. I   
was about to ask that but the woman cut me off once again. "We'll get there when we get   
there." 

I nodded and then waited. All was quiet once again. 

"We're there." I heard a low voice call from in front. Duo jumped out of him seat and   
immediately was followed by Relena as well as me. I looked to them as they pulled out as   
soon as the first shot was fired. They were surprised and it showed. We ran out of the   
truck and watched as all the other soldiers infiltrated the base with a vengeance. There   
wasn't one man that stayed behind, everyone went on their own codes of honor. 

I followed Relena and Duo to the side of another truckload of people that had arrived right   
before us, using the truck as a shield for the volleys of bullets. Relena began to fire at the   
front guards that blocked the entrance. I watched as two soldiers to my left dropped like   
lead weights, dead. 

Duo grabbed both of our hands and pulled us to the other side of the truck and we began   
to run to the next as if it was a stepping-stone. "Follow me," he directed as we sprinted to   
another truck. He drew out his gun and shot down one of the men that was guarding the   
balcony on the third story. With a direct shot, he sent the man tumbling backwards to the   
marble floor. Two more took his place and the braided pilot took them out with no effort. 

He looked back to us a little worried. "Okay, here is the tricky part, we are going to need   
to get up there, right now it's the easiest entrance, but it'll be a hell of a stunt. Can you two   
make it? I have a feeling that the next things there going to bring out is bombs and   
grenades." 

I nodded. 

"Don't worry, I can make it." Relena stated plainly. 

Duo then looked to me and I nodded once more. 

As soon as I had he dashed across the green lawn, now hinted with red and threw a rope   
up to scale the building. Again, we followed with a tenacity beyond belief. As soon as he   
set the rope he pushed me up first and then Relena. I hurried, I knew that if I was slow   
everyone was going to suffer from it. I passed the top of the first and then reached the   
second looking to the three dead bodies that laid in my path. I kicked they aside and   
pulled Relena up right behind me. 

As a greeting there were two more soldiers aiming at me. I readied my gun and   
immediately fired, sending the first one down. After the kick of the gun took my body, I   
aimed for the second. Before I could pull the trigger he dropped as well. Relena dropped   
the gun back into the carried locked onto her hip and pulled Duo up the rest of the way.   
We walked into the room and looked around. Dining hall, no doubt. No one would have   
been in it at this time. 

We picked up the pace and walked around the room, guns ready. "Where is her bed   
room?" Relena asked over to Duo. I waited for the answer and then the order. 

"Fifth floor, but I'm sure that they have evacuated her." 

I paused and then looked back around to Duo. "Evacuated to where?" 

"Under ground, that's my bet." The door to my left opened and another shot was fired as   
the body fell to the ground. 

I looked to Duo who was looking disappointed. "Heero you need to get those quicker." 

"Hai." 

"How are we going to act from here?" Relena asked looking around to the other doors as   
well as the balcony. "We're going down on the most path." 

"If that is where she was evacuated to, wouldn't that be the area with the most arsenals?" 

Duo nodded. "There isn't any way to avoid that." 

Relena then stood still for a second deep in thought. "How would she have gone to the   
lower level so fast without warning? I don't think she's there yet." 

"Then where would she be?" 

"I still think she's on the fifth story." She said and Duo and I exchanged glance. 

"I think she's right." I said after a moment. "With all the confusion she wouldn't have had   
the chance get down stairs yet. And on top of that she's vain, from what I remember. She   
would want to look as best she could even in a time like this. Dorothy would rather die   
glamorously." I concluded and Duo thought for a moment more. 

"Okay, let's go, we can't waste any more time whether we are right or not." Duo walked   
over to the door that would lead to a staircase. We crept out to the staircase, even though   
there was going to be a guard posted at every level. Getting ready once again, I listened   
to the series of gunshots being fired at the guard two stories down. I turned around to see   
Duo leaned over the staircase, shoot straight down. I caught another man out of the corner   
of my eye above up in the stair well. 

Quickly, as I had been instructed, I fired up ward and listened as the body tumbled down   
the stairs. Relena smiled, "I can see that you're improving." 

I decided to take that was a compliment as Duo walked past me, skipping steps to reach   
the next floor. And then the next, there was just one more to go. We reached the fifth floor   
and we all knew that on this level was the target according to common sense. 

"Okay, usually I would say split up, but we need to stay together this time." Duo said   
quietly. We waited for him to open the door, he moved to the handle slowly. As soon as it   
was thrown open I felt a tearing pain ripping at my arm. I saw the red forming around the   
wound as it began to ooze out. I looked to the person on the other side of the door. 

"Heero Yuy back from the dead? It seems that I'm going to have to do a little bit of revision   
on my stories." The voice sneered. Duo jumped to the other side of the door and fired   
three shots. Dodging them almost effortlessly Dorothy smiled impishly. "Duo, Duo, Duo."   
She began to scold, taking one step back. "You know that last time we met that didn't   
work, why would it now? And Relena-sama! You're here too? I'm delighted that you all   
decided to throw this little party for me!" She said making a small curtsy. 

"Yeah, and it'll be your last part." Duo said and I tired not to concentrate on the pain in my   
arm. If it was this one that I could never fully over come, it would have to be the pain of a   
bullet lodged in your arm. I could over it fine, but it hurt so much. Duo steadied his gun on   
her as did Relena. I tired and it looked as if I could perfectly. 

"Oh? You can't possibly be the same Heero Yuy." She said raising an exotic eyebrow. 

"I'm sure your wondering what the tip off was, right?" She jeered. I didn't move, I waited   
for another move to be made. She had set her gun down long enough to twirl a lock of   
blonde hair around her finger. "Well, for one you would have already killed me by now.   
Heero Yuy always possessed the skill and he wouldn't think twice about one thing that he   
did, ever." She said simply and I stood quiet even though was beginning to feel   
lightheaded. Duo shot again, Dorothy dodged, but barely, her sleeve over ripped. 

"Duo, now that you ripped one of my favorite shirts I'm going to have to kill you. It's a   
shame too, I always liked you," she said with certain disgust. For some reason I could feel   
her fear. She was afraid, but why? As soon as her finger touched that loaded gun Relena   
and Duo began to fire simultaneously. She began to shoot back and as soon and I her   
Relena's breath hiss from behind clenched teeth and Duo groan; I watched her fall over. 

Every one of us had been hit and I watched a moment longer to see which ones of us   
would rise again. Dorothy's gun was far from her reach and her face was paling as blood   
began to flow from the wound in her chest in two areas. "I'm applaud you, Duo, direct hit."   
Relena stood up and Duo did as well, Relena gripping her forearm and Duo his side. I   
walked over to Dorothy, she wasn't a treat any more no matter which way you sliced it. 

She was down and almost dead. She began to laugh and a trail of blood trickled down her   
chin, streaming to her neck. "Heero, if I had a choice between dying and living again. I   
would choose dying because there is no way in hell that I would want to come back as   
weak as you. I'm sure that as you lay dying from Zechs-sama's wound, you prayed to be   
brought back, as any coward would. I thought of you was a warrior but I can see plainly that   
I was wrong. You are a coward, and now you are getting a cowards punishment in a   
cowards body. Have fun in the future, Heero." 

Her mouth hung open as she died silently. "Now we have to escape." Duo said simply.   
"Now that she's dead this base won't have a leader and no means of survival. Mission   
accomplished." Relena nodded and walked after Duo as he climbed the stairs in a mad   
rush. 

Cowards...? 

Was that how they all saw me? 

I'm sure that she was right. After all, what use am I to them? 

"Heero, come on!" Relena shouted to me and I jumped to the door where she was calling   
from. I chased after them, forgetting all about the pain in my arm. Duo slowed down in   
front and told Relena to lead. He jogged beside me and smiled. "We'll get that fixed as   
soon as we get back to the trucks. Believe it or not, the drivers are also doctors." 

"It's that convenient?" I said dryly. 

"I like to think so. They do their job well. Both of them." 

"So what do we do after this?" 

"Get the injured back to headquarters and those that aren't to look around this area. It's   
ours now, isn't it?" 

I nodded, I didn't want to face him now. I was just a coward. I might have been taking   
things too seriously but right around now I didn't know how to act or what to believe. 

"Come on, Duo! Hurry!" Relena called from the front. We picked up the pace once again   
and made our way through the front gates back to the trucks. 

On the way out I looked to all the dead bodies that painted the path and felt sadness fill me   
all of a sudden. "Okay, you two get in, I want to have a word with the other general in   
charge of the building." Relena stepped into the truck, where sure enough, the doctors   
were. She sat down onto one of the benches and held out her arm. 

I sat down on the bench adjacent and held out my own wound. The doctor took it and did   
an external examination. I winced as he dabbed a disinfectant over it and then with   
tweezers, went in to extract the bullet. The thought was the thing that made my knees   
buckle. Poking around with that metal /in/ my arm. 

"Don't worry, like Duo said they are good doctors." 

Relena must have noticed my unease, and it made me feel a little better but not much.   
She sat there, not squeamish as they extracted the bullet. Most girls that I knew would   
have been screaming and crying their eyes out from the mere thought. She was strong,   
whether I wanted to admit it or not. I was caught up in though again, I didn't even notice as   
the doctor finished up with the bandaging. "There you go." He suddenly said and I looked   
to my arm to find it perfectly wrapped and dressed. Relena stood up, hers was done as   
well. 

"We need to get out. Others are waiting to be taken care of. There will be another truck to   
take us back to headquarters." I followed her once again and hopped out of the truck. I   
watched Duo lean up again the truck we were just in talking to some men, who were   
probably the generals. The red caught my eye. From where he was leaning, a deep trail   
of red dripped down the side of the truck. He had gotten the worst wound but hadn't been   
treated yet. 

I cut off my path of following Relena and turned back to Duo. I approached him slowly.   
"Are you going to get that looked at any time soon?" I said, cutting him off as he was   
talking. 

He looked a little agitated. "I will as soon as I'm done talking." 

"That is if you last that long." I replied. 

I was being a smart-ass on purpose. He wouldn't listen to me otherwise. "Heero, hold on   
a minute-" 

"I know how bad that wound is, you better do something with it or else this won't mean   
anything, you'll be dead." 

"Heero, I'm not going to die form a little wound like this." 

I glared. "Want to bet?" I walked up closer and he gave me a questioning glance. The   
general looked equally confused. They must have been even more bewildered when they   
realized who I was. I was supposed to be a dead man, wasn't I? 

"Heero, what are you-" I held him against the truck pinning him down. He struggled but   
didn't win. "You see, if that wasn't a life threatening wound then you would be able to push   
me away without a second thought. Wouldn't you agree?" He glared. 

"And since for the time being I am momentarily stronger then you, I'm going to take you to   
the doctors right now." I was going to get hell about this later. But it was for his own good.   
I picked him up and carried him, still struggling, over to the nearest truck. Relena watched   
me with shock painted across her face. But then that same shock prevalent turned into   
amusement. She began to giggle as she watched Duo struggle. 

"Heero, you realize that you're going to get it later, right?!" Duo shouted to me and I   
nodded. Didn't I already know that? I walked up the ramp that was set by the truck and set   
Duo down by the doctors who looked to me, equally as shocked as Relena. "I think we   
might need a sedative as well." I said simply. 

"No! No sedative! You even think about sticking a needle into me any time soon and   
you're fired!" Duo shouted before I clamped a hand over his mouth. 

"Don't listen to him, just give it to him." They exchanged glances but within a matter of   
moments stuck the same needle that Duo protested against, into him. 

In a matter of seconds, his kicking form fell limp and he was fast asleep. 

"You're going to feel that later." Relena said from behind me. I looked around and   
nodded. 

"I have people telling me that right and left. I think it's been drilled in enough." 

"We're just telling you of your mistake." She said simply, leaning against the frame of the   
door. "Well I better talk to those generals that you left bewildered, ne?" 

I nodded. She could speak to them just as well as Duo could have. Except for the fact that   
Duo was now unconscious. "When will he be up again?" I asked to the doctor that was   
along side Duo's body, but not actually working. 

"Two to three hours. You made the right decision, he's going to need a blood transfusion   
with all that he's lost." 

I sat down, watching the two work. "I'm willing if you need a donor." They smiled. "I can't   
ask you to do that, you lost quite a lot of blood as well, if you give then you will need a   
transfusion as well." 

"Where are the trucks that are going back to head quarters?" I heard another soldier ask.   
I waited for an answer. 

"They are the ones in the very back, you better be going as well." The man said to me. I   
shook my head. "I just want to make sure that Duo's all right." 

"You really want that beating, don't you?" 

"I don't really mind if I get what he feels necessary, just as long as he's all right." 

"You're a great soldier. You don't see that much compassion for others nowadays. You're   
a gem, my boy." 

Funny, wasn't compassion the one thing that I wasn't supposed to have? That was the   
irony of the entire situation. Complete and total irony. I looked to the window as Relena   
came back. "This base is secured, General Dilks has control of it for now, as well as his   
section of the troops." 

"Okay, then what are we going to do now?" I asked her, feeling a bit sheepish. 

"Take Duo back to HQ and have him restrained, you don't want to die so soon after victory,   
do you?" 

I shook my head. 

"Heero?" 

The doctor said and I focused my gaze back to him. "Yes?" 

"You're going to have to carry him to the truck and make sure that he stays in bed for a   
which, the bullet grazed some organs and make sure that he doesn't get involved in any   
strenuous activity." 

"Yes." 

"Well, let's get going, the first truck is about to take off, I want to catch that ride." Relena   
commented and I lifted Duo up to my shoulders. We walked to the truck and then would   
follow shortly after, getting back to headquarters 

* * *

End of part 6   
****

**Into the Rain Index******

**Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Into The Rain**

**Part 7: Proclamation and Feelings**

* * *

The dancing flames surround her, she looked to the man that came walking and shrugged. "So you are the real Heero Yuy? Who was the other one that confronted me?" Dorothy asked as the flames began to tug at her burning flesh. 

"The other was was the illusion of reality. But another reality." 

"Two Heero's? I'm sure that would please most." 

"Shut up." 

"You are the real Heero. Snippy one that takes no shit under any circumstance. Let's play a game, shall we?" 

The other voice chuckled slightly. "A game with you, Catalonia? Have you really been dead that long?" 

She laughed along in melody. "Well you see, a game should be played with an apparent prize. Shall you be the prize if I win?" 

"You're twisted; a prize? To what kind of a game?" 

"A word game, none the less. Just have a little fun." 

"This is hell, there is no fun." 

"Why not? I say that if the opportunity presents itself, take it!" 

"You were meant to be here. You enjoy it." 

"And you don't? Do you have an answer or not?" 

"And what would be the prize if I were to win?" 

"Information about your beloved Duo. I know you haven't seen him in a while and at the very moment two people are bickering about who he belongs to. I can tell you more, that was a sample." 

"Fine." 

"Now all you need to do is follow my phrase with another, it's that simple. Ready?" 

Heero walked closer to the girl, glaring. "Start." 

Dorothy smiled. The man of little words challenging the woman of many? The odds would have been in her favor. "Writing on the walls may depict all the fine lines that intertwine." Heero raised an eyebrow and continued accordingly. 

"Rusty nails cut the flesh from its wound the crimson pours out." Dorothy shook her head, this might have been slightly more difficult then she had figured in. 

"It was fogged up by the detail, picked out from the groove, you know what I'm saying?" 

Heero nodded. "It is smashed through the alabaster walls. White dust lies in tears." 

Dorothy crossed her arms, so he could play after all. Fine, time to bring out the big guns. "Tick-tock. It's ten o'clock." 

"Past the grave the dead dance to the off-key tune of realism." 

_'How long has he been in hell?'_ "And diamonds clashed cups with the rusty nail." 

"From the glass the spirit pours out, for it's life was forsaken for another." 

"Binding chains." 

"Silence rains." 

"Far away." 

"Gone today." 

"Witnessed the trial." 

"Still in denial." 

"Tick-tock." Dorothy said once more. 

"It's ten o'clock." Heero countered. 

"Say bye to the present." She said, his last line would need to match hers. 

"It waves good-bye back." 

"Dammit Yuy! You must have been practicing! Fine, information, what do you want?" Dorothy said crossing her arms viscously. She wasn't used to being defeated in that manner. 

"Is Duo okay?" 

"Hmm, out of all the questions you could ask that is the one you had to ask first?" 

"Just answer, I beat you." 

Dorothy nodded. "Fine. He's the leader of the little group of rebels that are going against Oz. Oh yes, and there is the fact that I shot him in the side right before he died." Dorothy snipped. A hand lashed crossed her face before she could know what was happening. She looked in shock back to Heero who was glaring at her deadly. 

"If you weren't already dead and in hell I would make sure to send you there." 

"Hmm, you sure are confident. At least my ex-lover is with 1/1000 of what I used to be." 

". . ." 

"You act as if you already knew that, Heero it's a shock to everyone, how can you be so damn ignorant?" She shouted to him. He only looked to her blankly. 

"I already knew that. Once in a while I can feel myself going back into that body. After all, I did beat Duo at him own game during training." 

"You're crazy!" 

"Look who's talking." 

"Just leave me alone." 

"With me here you are going to have a hell of a time." 

"I'm not going to be able to tolerate those bad puns."   


* * *

I looked to Duo who laid unconscious on his bed. I had to watch over him for now, but I also wanted to change out of these cloths badly. They clung to my body, from my sweat, like a leech. I shower would be nice as well. But neither of those seemed to be in the picture. It had been an hour and a half, so he was going to wake up relatively soon. I waited, but that was when there was a knock on the door. 

"Come in." I called and Relena walked in. She **had** taken a shower, her hair was damp from the water and hung heavy in a bun. She had on a different set of cloths as well. The jeans that rode low on her hips were being held up by a chunky black belt. The white T-Shirt she was wearing had the sleeves torn of the showed a couple scars on her arms. But still, the most surprising tribute to this outfit was the fact that she was wearing hot pink bunny slippers. 

Some things of the past never went away, did they? 

"Heero, I came to relieve you of your duties for now. Go take a shower and get changed." 

"I don't have anything to change into." 

She handed me the pile of clothes that she was carrying in her hands. "That's why I brought these. Just go, I'll take care of him." 

I was a bit hesitant to leave, but after a moment of debate and then that all together sticky-feeling, I nodded and began to walk out. 

"Thank you." I said simply and left. I walked down the hall to the shower rooms and looked around. Many other soldiers were there. Also, when I was looking around I noticed that Relena must have been the only female in the entire complex. I walked into the shower rooms and picked a random empty locker to throw my clothing in. As soon as I had done that, I stripped down and walked into the shower area. 

I turned the faucet hand of a vacant shower and thanked god for small favors. I closed my eye in the pleasure and then heard a voice from behind me. "Make sure not to get the bandaging to wet." I turned around to face Ruddy. 

Shit. 

"Thanks," I said and hoped that he wouldn't try anything. He continued to stare at me for a minute and I began to shift uncomfortable. I gave him a questioning glance and he looked almost afraid of me. That got my attention. 

"Is it true that you kicked Duo's ass?" 

So he _was_ afraid of me. But it was something that I didn't do, it was something that just... How would I describe it? That was next to impossible! 

"Yeah, I saw it." Some else called from the other area. 

"It was brutal." Another. 

"But it was something, I thought that he deserved it and didn't at the same time!" 

"I also heard that kicked isn't the only thing he has done to Duo's ass." 

I wasn't going to say anything to that comment. 

"That's old news!" 

"No, I mean recently, as in last night." 

Did they have to talk about me like this when I was right here? The least they could do is have enough decency to talk about me _behind_ my back. I grabbed some shampoo from one of the dispensers and lathered it into my hair, closing my eyes as the bubbles began to drip. 

As I rinsed, I tried to put my face as close to the shower head as I could, it might drowned out the voices. I couldn't stay like that forever so I grabbed the soap and tried to do the same. As soon as I was done I made my getaway as fast I could. They were all still scared of me, so it was better to leave it as that. I then in the cloths that Relena had given me, hoping that I wasn't going to make a fool out of myself wearing them, I hadn't looked at them yet so I was hoping that they were remotely decent. 

I pulled the orange t-shirt over my head and then slipped into the black jeans. Well, it seemed as if I wasn't going to be embarrassed after all. Then I shuffled around though what was left and looked for shoes. My eyes widened as I looked down to what she had called 'shoes.' 

It was a pair of slippers. Baby-blue and little pom-pom ornaments sewn with silver. I dropped my head in defeat. I knew she was going to do something along this line. But shoes were shoes and I slipped them on. I took the dirty cloths into my left arm and began to walk back to Duo's room. I neared the door but paused as I heard Duo's voice. 

"I'm going to kill him!" He shouted but then his voice fell silent. I waited a moment until the other voice came. 

"Um, Duo? There is something that I have been meaning to tell you..." her voice trailed off and I sat down outside the door to listen quietly. 

"What's up?" 

"Well, this is hard for me to say, but we have been through a lot together and I thought that it would only be right for you to know something." 

"What is it?" 

"I don't know how I would phrase this..." 

"Just say it directly." 

"Duo, I love you. I think I have been in love with you ever since Heero, the other Heero, died." 

I felt my heart pick up; I needed to know what he was going to say to that. It wouldn't take him long to respond because nothing could render Duo Maxwell speechless. 

"Well, I have to say that I never thought that I would hear that from you." 

"I'm sorry, I just had to tell you, don't be mad at me." 

"Why would I be mad at you?" 

"Because you-" 

"I could never be mad at you." 

Now was the time that I never thought that my heart could hurt this much. Did that mean that if she practically threw herself at him that he would do the same? I wasn't sure if I should just leave and go back to my bunk or walk in before anything else happened. Well, I had my mind settled since Duo wasn't to engage in any strenuous activity. I walked in. 

"Thanks for the clothes, Relena, but I don't think that the slippers were necessary." She looked a little baffled, wondering how long I had been out there. 

"Relena, I'll talk to you later?" Duo said and she nodded, walking out the door. "You okay?" I asked him. "My side hurts but besides that I'm fine, I'm just glad that it all worked out, wouldn't you say?" He smiled and gestured for me to take a seat on the edge of the bed. 

I complied and took the seat, Duo still smiling. "So how is your arm?" I looked to it for a second. "It needs to be re-bandages." 

He laughed. "That's one way to look at it, here, let me see." I extended my arm and he moved slowly to take it. Before I knew it he grabbed the area of my arm that was not injured and pulled me closer and then held me tight in a headlock. 

"You're so dead!" He shouted to me and then removed the headlock only to re-grip one hand to a pair of wrists. Now that was it, I wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but he was going to kill me. "You were _not_ supposed to go against my orders like that! Aren't you a solider?!" 

"It was for your own good..." I said rather weakly. He glared to me and with his loose hand fastened it around my neck. I tired to remain as calm as possible and keep what pride I had left. I wasn't going to go against what he was about to do. It was, more or less, my fault that I was in this situation in the first place. His eyes went low and hinted at a, somewhat, malice idea. I was going to get it and bad. 

Cool lips were placed over mine in an act of pure desire. My eyes snapped open; that was the one thing I had not been expecting. He trailed the kisses down my neck, moving his hand so he could access my flesh. I felt my body stiffen and then relax. I was frozen to that spot, I didn't know what I was supposed to do, was this my punishment? 

Even though one of his hands released my neck, the other one was still fastened tightly across my wrists. He spread his lips across my jaw line, nibbling ever so slightly and then brought his lips back to meet mine. At the touch, my body and mind had a different reaction. 

He was giving me another vision. 

**"I can see that you're not in the best of moods, are you, Mr. Maxwell?" My eyes snapped open; I was back in school looking up to the angry gaze of a teacher. "S-sorry teach, I was just thinking about something a little different then your lesson plans.." I guessed without the slightest clue how mad that would make the teacher.**

**"Mr. Maxwell, I suggest that you look over my lesson plans today in detention."**

**"Wha-?!"**

**"Yes, Mr. Maxwell, further more, class, is there anyone else who is a little," he paused, "preoccupied?" The entire class shook their heads in unison.**

**I cringed; detention? Was this my punishment? A little cliché, but was that really what Duo was going to put me through?**

**I waited for him to finish the vision.**

**10...**

**45...**

**72 minutes...**

**Damn, this _was_ torture. He knew that it was too, but didn't that also mean that he was reliving the memory as well? Or could he channel that part out? There are so many things unanswered about the entire theory of 'giving memories.' I would never have believed it unless I realized it first hand.**

**120 minutes.**

**The teacher walked up to me, glaring. "You have two more hours." My body face-vaulted. "What the hell-?!"**

**"That just tacked you on an extra half-hour. Watch your language Maxwell."**

**Did Duo really just have to do that? I was wondering how many other hours he would get added on because of misbehavior. I looked down to the paper that laid in front of me. My hand moved and doodled along the edges, I watched, there wasn't anything better to do.**

**It was passing very, very slowly.**

**If it took any longer I thought I was going to die, even if in Duos memory he hadn't died. I had been through war. Battle after battle, but nothing in the world compared to this and school. That was one of the hardest things out there. Over and over, the next thing I knew my entire paper was filled with those doodles. Most of them were little gundams, but across the top was a little comic strip.**

**I grinned at Duo's drawings, inwardly, of course. Outwardly I was writing multiple obscenities about the teacher. I sat in waiting, it continued and continued. Endless, seemingly, that was all it was and all it would be in the end. I watched the clock for a couple more moments. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. I could at least start another countdown. Now I was on the half-hour I had gained due to my mouth. Or, what he had gain, that would be more accurate in the long run. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.**

**I watched my hand move agilely along the papers edge, marking ever so slightly every now and then. Marks connected along the other marks. It continued until a picture was formed. I was slightly amused from the picture. Shinigami along, yet another edge, looking off into space with a mischievous grin spread across his shadow cloaked face.**

**In the border a phrase befell the unmarked paper edge.**

**"Proclamation: watch out because times change and promises lose meaning."**

**Was the entire vision brought about to show me this sentence? And then was the torturing in the process part of my punishment. It was probably an added bonus in his mind. I waited, the teacher looked to me after the half-hour had ended.**

**"You are free to leave, don't make this mistake again." I nodded and left the building, exiting through the back door that would lead immediately to the outside.**

"Heh, was that a little bit of friendly torture for ya?" I heard his voice sneer. 

My eyes shot open and I was faced him once again. "You know, when you get those visions you have no access to your body what so ever? It's actually rather amusing to think that your astral form has left completely and your body, as you know now, is completely helpless. If a normal person would see you in that condition you would be apparently dead." 

"Then that would make you the murder." 

"On the contrary, it would be an apparent suicide." 

I felt myself grinning, probably like the idiot I was. "I don't think you would let me die like that if you were just fighting so hard to keep me alive." 

"You're smart." He kissed my forehead. I smiled again. 

"So when you give me those vision my body is helplessly under your control?" 

He nodded, and then let go of my wrists. "Precisely." 

"So if you gave me a vision in a long enough time you could do just about anything to me, ne?" 

"Like I said, you're smart." 

I felt myself go silent as I laid my head back. "So?" 

"So what?" 

"What was going on in your head when she told you her feelings?" 

"What do you mean? You were eavesdropping?" 

"Well I was coming back and I didn't want to interrupt so I stopped at your door!" 

"And just happened to listen in." 

He was making me feel like a criminal, but wasn't that what I was? "I guess..." I said as if I myself wasn't sure. 

"I don't mind, but don't you think you should be more careful next time?" 

I nodded weakly. "But you still haven't answered my question." 

"What do you want me to say? Something about how I was in love with a guy from another reality?" 

"Well now that you phrase it that way it sounds weird..." 

"Weird doesn't cut it! There is much more to it then that!" 

"Gomen." 

"Okay, now just don't worry. I don't know what I'm going to tell her. But it shouldn't be any of your concern." 

I hung my head slightly but then straightened up. "Just make sure to take care of yourself right now. If that bullet wound wasn't treated when it was you would have died. You shouldn't have gotten mad at me because of a little needle." 

"It wasn't the needle! It was you going against my orders!" 

I stood back up from my laying position. "If that is all you see of it, fine. I saved your life just as you have mine. I don't care if you think that little of it but don't be mad at me for that reason. You should just be happy that you're alive." 

"Don't get so high and mighty! Just because you lived through that battle and just because you accomplished that mission doesn't mean anything! Yeah, you were a perfect solider, but not any more. You are one of _my_ soldiers now. Know your place." 

"And that would be?" 

"I have to admit that I'm not sure yet." 

"Then don't assume me one until you're sure." 

He stared at me for a second longer and then dropped his gaze. "You're too special to me to lose and you know that. Please don't push me like this." 

I turned my back to him and stood in silence. "I'm going for a walk." I said after a moment longer. 

"Watch out because times change and promises lose meaning." He said as I walked out of the door. I could still hear those words and now I was beginning to wonder what he had meant by that. But how much time would have to pass before they _did_ lose the meaning? 

I walked out through the hallway and saw Relena come into my gaze. She had her arms crossed and walked up to me slowly. I walked past her but she placed a hand on my shoulder stopping me. I looked around her and she gestured for me to follow her. I wasn't sure where she was leading but I wasn't about to go with her after what she had told Duo. When I didn't follow immediately she looked back, crossed. 

"What? I'm not going to bite you or anything." Speaking of, where was Jackie? I must have been carried off in thought because she looked rather annoyed by my silence. "Come on." She stated and I stood there, unmoving. "What are you worried about?" 

"I'm not worried about anything." I quickly countered and stayed in my position. 

"Then come with me!" 

"I don't have a reason to come with you." 

"Think of it as doing a comrade a favor." She noted the disgust in my face. "Don't you consider me a comrade? When did you get to hate me so much, Heero?" What would I tell her? What Duo had said so sarcastically? I could say that, although I could always shock her with that fact that we had slept together not even a day prior. I would, if the situation lead to that. 

That thought brought and amused grin to my face and my feet began to move in her direction. She smirked and I followed, slowly, but I followed.   


* * *

End of part 7   


**Into the Rain Index**

**Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index**


	8. Chapter 8

**Into The Rain**

**Part 8: Falling and Love**

* * *

Noises were surrounding me... 

Wait a minute; I was laying flat on my back. Wasn't I supposed to be heading with Relena? I sat up from my fallen position and looked around. I saw a flash of chestnut hair mixed with wheat-blonde hair. I concentrated on the image in front of me. Relena and Duo were on the floor. He was kneeling at her side, kissing her. 

...Kissing her? 

My chest tightened involuntarily. I didn't want to believe it. 

But it had to be a truth, Relena was sitting propped up on the floor, Duo was leaning down to her and kissing her, hands cupped around her face. My breathing had stopped, I was so confused, wasn't he supposed to be in bed? Wasn't Relena supposed to be leading me to where ever it was we were going? 

Duo broke the kiss, leaning back, breathless. Relena's face was blooded ever so slightly. Duo glared at me once more. He stalked over to me and grabbed a handful of my hair, not gently at all. It was forceful and I could tell that he was pissed. What the hell was going on here?! 

He crushed my lips once again. 

**A different perspective.**

**I was walking toward an empty room and as I looked back I saw me. This wasn't Duo's perspective. Then it had to be...**

**Relena's?**

**I felt a hand grasp a handful of my long hair and tear backwards. Tearing at my scalp, I looked around to face myself again. "You little bitch, I'll never let you have him. I know what you are trying to do and I won't let you. You think you can get away with this just because he cares about you, you can't!" Myself was shouting at me and I was thrown to the ground.**

**I looked up and out came a feminine voice. "What are you talking about?! What's wrong with you?!"**

**"Hn."**

**My eyes widened. "You're... you're the other Heero!"**

**"No shit, at least you were able to figure that much out. Why is Duo protecting you now? You mean nothing to this world any more. Just a worthless princess with a destroyed kingdom."**

**I stood up strong. "Heero, you protected me at a time, how can you say things like that?"**

**"That was when you were somebody, now you're only a waste of space and time."**

**"What happened to you? I knew that you were cold, but this isn't like you. I heard what had happened earlier during the training. You're just a ghost that possesses this Heero, why?"**

**His eyes closed for a moment and then a smirk engulfed his face. This was what was happening, the old Heero was possessing me. Why?**

**"When a medium between hell and this world is present why not take it?"**

**A medium, my body. He could travel back and forth like that. Was it at any given time? Why wasn't I possessed now? Damnit, there were so many questions that weren't answered, damnit.**

**"What happened to you, you aren't the Heero that I knew. What happened?!"**

**"Don't demand things like this, it has nothing to do with you!"**

**I tired to smile. "Heero, why would you hurt the people that loved you when you could love them back in the time you were back?"**

**"Is that another spin-off of that pacifist shit?"**

**I shook my head; I could feel the determination in her heart. "No, it's the truth. Heero, why don't you talk to Duo instead of doing something that will be regretted later? Heero, we are beginning to win in this battle, we killed Dorothy."**

**"I know. I was talking with her earlier." He said coldly. "Why did you bring the other Heero in here, Relena?"**

**My mouth went dry. As if I could say it. "I was going to talk to Heero about Duo." He walked over to me slowly, counting every step. My body was trembling.**

**"What about Duo?"**

** I took waiting a moment longer, before even beginning to answer. I couldn't get it out, his hand lashed across my face and I stood still as a bruise began to visibly form. "I was going to talk to Heero about his health."**

**Heero glared. "Why would that concern me?"**

**"Because I think that you would want to be included."**

**"After all, I am his lover, aren't I?"**

**"You were."**

**"I still am."**

**My heart throbbed, much like it had inside my own chest. She felt the same as I had when I saw Duo kissing her on the floor. But this is what had been leading up to it, even though reality was passing slowly on the outside while I was here, living the past once again.**

**I lunged to him, throwing my foot into the air; it looked like I was aiming for my jaw. Easily dodging, he side-stepped the assault and I tried to curve my kick in his direction, hoping for a hit.**

**Then in the game of hit-and-miss, I missed. I was thrown back once again to the floor and then as I looked to the door Duo. Heero hadn't seen his shadow or seen him all together. I knew that he shouldn't have been out here, he might hurt himself. But I watched as Heero dropped to the ground. There was no reason, he just... did.**

**Duo rushed over to my side. "What the hell just happened?!" He shouted and looked to me, the unconscious me, before Relena.**

The vision ended by Duo's mouth was still protectively on mine. He traced his tongue along the edge of my mouth, he was telling me that even though Relena was there, he still loved me and she didn't have to know. My heart was aching even more then before, Heero, the other one was in complete control over me. Maybe the kiss was also in pity. He knew how I felt; he knew that I couldn't do anything about it. 

When would Heero come back? He didn't really think anything about killing, even Relena. I don't think he would kill Duo, but he didn't seem to be against hurting him. I wrapped my arms around his waist. I was scared. I had promised not to let anything hurt Duo, but now I was the number one threat. He pulled away and I laid my head on his chest. 

"Are you okay?" 

I shook my head. "I feel so pathetic and powerless." 

He chuckled. "We'll figure something out, don't worry, okay?" 

I wanted to believe that, I wanted to so bad. But I didn't know what I could believe at all. I shook my head but Duo stopped it, by more or less holding my head still. I looked to him. 

"I don't want to get that form you, we will figure something out. Promise." 

Was that supposed to make me feel better? It did, more or less. I looked over to Relena that moment. "Gomen nasai." I said weakly. 

She stood up, trying to smile. It was a forced one but it wasn't from my previous actions. But even so, she accepted my apology. I felt bad for her; she was being put through all kinds of shit right now. Not that I wasn't, I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't the only one with a problem. 

"Well, what's the next game plan?" 

Duo pulled me to my feet and suddenly gripped his side, wincing. Shit, I had forgotten all about his wound. "Are you okay?" I said forcefully but not demanding anything. 

He nodded, standing straightly up once again. "I'm fine, just hurts. It'll go away as soon as I take some pain killers." I wanted to believe him but I couldn't help but be worried about him. 

"Then let's get back to your room." We began to walk; for once I was his support instead of the other way around. I got back to his room and walked in as Relena left. It looked as if she had done a little bit of cleaning up, making the bed and other things like that. 

I set him down on his bed and he chuckled looking up to me. "What?" I questioned as he laid back. 

"I'm just thinking about how much in love Relena was with you back then, and how much she seems to hate you now." 

"Ironic, isn't it?" 

"Nothing less." 

"You were going to tell me, where do we head from here? I like to get ideas about where we should be." 

"Well, if I'm right some more forces should be heading here to check out the other plan, we'll knock 'em down as then come until either the big guys come, or they loose interest." 

I nodded and felt a little self-conscious when he pulled me closer. "Heero, I think you may be blushing!" If I weren't blushing before this would have been the moment that I did. 

He grinned. "Why are you being shy all of a sudden?" I had no damn idea. I shook my head instead of using that direct phrase. He pulled me closer and I had to have been drug a little. He continued to laugh. I wasn't taken back by that at all, I liked it when he laughed. As I was drug further I curled up beside him, laying my head on his chest. I made sure not to touch his side; I didn't want him to be in any more pain. 

I could feel his arm move from its position and then stop as it wrapped around my waist. I began to smile and the blush finally subsided. He was stroking my forehead; his breathing was slowing slightly every moment. Before I knew it, he had fallen asleep again. That tranquilizer must have had some effect on him, even now. For the moment I lay there, not wanting to move. 

There was a faint knocking at the door and I knew that was calling to get up once again. Extracting Duo's arm from my waist, I crept to the door and cracked it, just enough to get out. I looked to the officer in front of me. "What is it?" 

I asked him, he stood at attention. "I have an urgent message for Duo." 

"What is it? I'll give it to him as soon as he wakes up." 

"I would prefer to give it to him now, and in person." I narrowed my eyes. 

"I'll make sure that it is delivered." He must have understood my intentions if he didn't deliver the message. The other Heero possessing me was mostly a bad thing but it did have its advantages. Now I got respect from the other, respect that I wouldn't have earned otherwise. 

"Well I was told to tell him that about five minutes ago we noticed a large group of mobile suites coming this way. We told our troops to get ready and now we are awaiting his orders." 

I nodded. "I'll tell him that now. How many was it?" 

"Fifteen or so. More than we have, that's for sure. We have moved the wounded down underground. The others are waiting to be ordered to take action." 

Looking back to the door I shook my head. "Yeah, I'll let him know now. Tell the troops to get their mobile suites ready and wait five minutes. As soon as they get into firing range, do so." 

He thought about my orders and whether or not to accept them. He nodded and started to jog back to the main area. 

I opened the door again and noticed Duo sitting up. "Did you hear any of that?" 

He nodded. "You need to learn to keep your voices down." He proceeded to stand up and then grimaced in pain at his side wound. 

"Duo, you shouldn't fight this time." 

He shook his head. "If they are only a group of mobile suites then the other soldiers trained as guerillas won't be of much help. If there is only thing we're short on, it's the mobile suites. They couldn't have picked a better attack stage." 

"But what are you going to do? You said it yourself that you can't fight because you're the lead guerilla-" 

"No, who do you think taught all of them to pilot? True, that is what I seem to specialize it, however piloting comes naturally. We had more soldiers that were talented in piloting but not enough suites. I needed to strengthen the other factions so that's why you have only seen me doing that. I haven't been in a mobile suite in five years, even though I have been instructing. There haven't been any advancements in the mobile suite technology so I'm fine there. But I think I'm going to have to fight in this one." 

"No. You aren't in the shape to pilot!" 

He merely grinned. "You'd be surprised." I felt like a parent; my son and Duo were too similar. Hell, they even had the same name. "Duo, you're rushing the chapters, let them play out slowly." I tried from a different angle but I should have known that Duo would counter just the same. 

"Heh, this author is getting on my nerves, they rush everything no matter what." 

There was nothing I could do as he walked out of the door. No, he wasn't walking out the door, he was hobbling. I was the one most familiar with suicide missions and this was just another example. I walked out, following him. 

He was talking to one of the officials. He looked back to me. "The odds are even slimmer this time. 0.993% chance of victory." Shit, what was going to happen this time? "The odds would normally be 12%, however there is a special general in the lead with a special mobile suite." Oh god, I could only guess at that point. 

"Who is it?" I was getting even more desperate. 

He tried to smiled. "Two guesses. But you'll only need one." 

"Treize." I said, the word general always brought a picture of him into my mind. "Yes. But I brought up our percent chances by 0.993%!" He cheered. So Duo was our only chance? 

"Wait, could I pilot a mobile suite?" I said suddenly and Duo cocked his head. "I know that is one thing that I can do, no doubt." 

I watched as he took a deep breath. "We have four suites, but I feel that I can trust you..." Now there was another weight placed on my chest. 

Duo turned back to the officer. "Okay, I'll pilot 09, Heero will pilot 13, Relena will pilot 20," 

Relena could pilot? Well, it wouldn't surprise me; she /had/ received special training. But in this entire unit, she was one of the best? "And Link will pilot 18." Link? I hadn't met him yet. Relena walked up and behind her was a man that had to be in his late 20's. 

He stood taller then Duo, with dark, bronze skin and light blonde hair. The blonde came down to his jaw and was cut in layers. 

"Link." He said, extending his hand. 

"Heero." I said and shook it. 

He looked to me as if I had been joking. My eyes told him different. 

"Okay, does everyone get the operation? Relena, you get the five flanking Treize's left. Link, the five to his right. Heero, the four behind him. As soon as you get done with those, help each other with their but _don't touch_ Treize." 

"Duo, you know you can't beat him yourself. Don't you remember what happened to Wufei and Sally?!" Relena growled over to him. 

Duo nodded. "Yeah, but I have a little score to settle. It's pride and I need to take it out on him 100% by **myself.**" He empathized the last part. He needed to do that himself; I knew it. I looked to Link who stood silent. 

"Duo, if I get done with mine and the others are done as well I can't guarantee not going after the ring leader." Duo's eyes narrowed and he grabbed the collar of Link's neck. 

Link was shoved against the wall with the wind knocked out of him. "Link, I need you to promise that you are not going to touch him. You know, bullets tend to ricochet and it wouldn't surprise me if one accidentally flew through your forehead causing a nasty little mess in your cockpit." It was forcefully sweet, but to make his point he slapped Link across his face. He backed away and Link went back to standing strong. 

"Any more questions?" There was a brief silence and then Duo motioned for us to follow. We walked down the long winding hallways to a flight of stairs. We picked up the pace, hurrying down the steps. Then there was a door, a normal door that Duo shoved open. Past that was a large open space, I could feel the drafts. But it was pitch black. I followed the foot steps as they ran. Then a light flickered and devoured the room till there wasn't a shadow left. 

It was a hanger. We were standing on one of the suspended cases that were next to the mobile suites. There were two Taurus, one Aries, and then one that I didn't recognize. "A Gemini." I heard from my left. Link was smiling to me. "I don't think you would have know about it. It's another land battle suite, they were rarely manufactured because of its need for a special ammunition." 

"What kind?" I asked and then from my other side came an answer. 

"Gundanium. We were only able to keep this mobile suit functioning because of frequent visits to the colonies." 

Link jumped into the Aries, as did Relena. I had the Taurus and Duo had the other mobile suite. I watched as the others were starting them up. I looked around in the cockpit, locating all the controls. I was also happy for the advancements, since there weren't any. I knew my way through this perfectly, now all I needed to worry about was the other pilot's skills. 

I quickly strapped into the seat belt and as Relena left the hanger first. She was followed by Link, and then me. I fired up the engines and dashed my fingers across the control panel. Duo followed behind me and the four of us took to the air. The enemy forces were spread out across the horizon. The next thing I knew was a volley of shots fired to our base. As soon as I made the move to fire back, Link and Relena shot ahead to their appointed sides. 

I followed, waiting for an opening. I looked to the status of the suites. They were one mile away from the base now, it was too close for my liking. I opened a connect with the Gemini as quick as I could. Duo looked to me through the box with a questioning statement. I gave him what would have been called a death glare. "Duo, you are not going to die here so don't rush it." 

To my glare he gave me a smile. My glare wasn't showing because I was mad at him, but it was just for empathize. 

"Hey, what ever happens, ne? Don't worry! Everything's going to great!" 

He winked at me and I just had to say one more thing. It was a little hard to say in that situation, "Duo, just remember that I do love you." His smile was shot for a moment but it came again. "I know." The transmission was ended and then we fired our first shots way within range. 

Relena's shot hit its intend target which began to sink through the sky, in flames, to the ground. The flames tore at the Earth and my stomach began to tear at the sight. War, more war. Link shot another and I let a series of bullets fly from my gun. The soldiers they had hadn't improved. The one I shot at flew to the ground to meet up with his comrade. I couldn't look back at Duo to see how things were going on his end. I couldn't bring myself to at all. For now, the fight in front of me was all there way. 

"Shit-" I cursed to myself as an impact from behind hit me. I could feel a stream of blood fall to my brow. I moved the suite around as fast as my fingers would let me. Two suites where double-teamed against me from different angles. With the odds, a double-team would have been easy for now. I flew below them both and hit them from underneath. The two burst into flames and sailed downward. I looked around. There were only five suites remaining. I had one, Link had two, Relena had two and we all knew without a doubt where the last suite was. 

I looked to the last one in front of me and shot, it dodged. I moved again, over to the left; far, far, left. As I did, another transmission was put through into my suit. "Heero, you have two more to deal with." That was Links voice and as I questioned what he had meant I looked to his face and then out the window to him mobile suite. He was covered in blood and his mobile suite was covered in flames. 

* * *

End of part eight   
****

**Into the Rain Index**

**Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index**


	9. Chapter Nine

**Into the Rain**

**Part 9: Quintets and Capture**

* * *

"Link." His name spread its way across my lips. I didn't know him at all, but still I felt regret about his death. Any death was to be full of regret. I destroyed my remaining target and then moved over to Links. I shot them down without a second thought; it was mostly reaction and not thought. 

Another transmission entered. It was Relena. "Heero, I have been hit, fly over and open your hatch I'm going to jump out! I don't have a parachute, so I really hope you're fast!" 

Shit, where was she? I looked around to see her above, her mobile suite pullet to the ground. There she was, dropping almost as fast as the suite. Thank god that I was fast, for her sake. I maneuvered the suite so she would fall into the cockpit hatch. It wasn't easy to suspend a mobile suite vertically in the air. 

She continued to fall, but on her way was caught by the mobile suite positioned to catch her. On the way down she bumped her head, and her left leg on the frame of the cockpit. She kept falling and came on me, knocking the wind out of me from the built-up inertia. 

"Thank you!" She said and gripped her leg. I had already seen the blood on her head; I just hoped that it wasn't as bag as it looked. 

I shut the hatch as soon as I could and then poised it back up right. It looked like Relena had left me as gift as well. Again, I shot down the remainder and held onto my spot for a moment, looking at Relena. "Are you okay?" I asked her as she sat on the floor. I was thankful for the size of the cockpit; otherwise this would have been awkward. 

"I-I think so, oh god! How is Duo?!" She said as soon as she could have. 

I shrugged my shoulders. 

"Turn this around, we have to see!" I followed her command and looked to the other battle unfolding behind us. As I turned I realized that Duo must have been out of bullets because it had turned into a hand-to-hand combat with the mobile suites. Treize clearly had the advantage and I looked to Relena. 

"I know he said not to help him, but I have to." 

Relena had heard me and put a hand to my knee; the closest thing to her. "No. This is strictly his battle. You want to watch those ricocheting bullets." 

Maybe that threat only went for Link because of past actions. I hadn't the faintest idea, but I just watched. There was a sudden impact against the 13. It knocked me backwards, and slammed my head against the board in back. More blood was left to fall freely over my face. I looked to Relena to see what happened to her. She wasn't in much better shape then I. 

"That was from Treize." Relena said simply. "He doesn't want us to stay here and do anything. He either wants a fight or us to die." 

Another transmission window opened with the general's face plastered to the opening scene. "Heero? So the rumors are true. Welcome back to the living, my friend. Princess Relena, beaten at the floor of a cockpit doesn't suite some one like you. Why didn't you take your brothers invitation?" 

Invitation? From Zechs? "I never wanted to be part of a society that looks that lowly upon their own people!" 

He chuckled. "Well at least you have abandoned that pacifist garbage. I can see that you clearly want to fight." 

Relena glared and rose to the screen even closer. "I still believe that a perfect society would be one without weapons." 

"But alas, Utopia will never be. You are invited to watch as I take Duo's life away in front of you. But Princess, we have different plans for you. Zechs wants to see his little sister. You'll be coming with us." 

"You are not going to kill Duo!" 

Again, the amber haired general smirked. "Your right, our plans were never to kill someone with that much influence and power. We first need to find out the little military secrets that he ran off it so many years ago. I have a feeling that Heero is going to come as well, he knows some things that I would like to know as well." 

"You are never going to get them, kisama!" Relena shouted. "Are you planning on keeping them from me? For now, I'm just going to wear Duo out, nothing more. We'll have a nice, long visit in the future, Princess." Treize ended the connection and Relena looked to me and dove for a button that I knew all too well. The self-destruct button. I grabbed her hand, half-way to it. 

"You know what they are going to do with us if we are captured! How can you keep from doing this?!" 

"Because if we're dead we won't have any chance of making a difference in the future. That way is a coward's way out. I know that you're stronger then that, Relena. For now, all we can do it read on into this book." 

"Book? You have been talking to Duo too long." She laughed. It was a forced, nervous laugh, but she was trying to lighten the situation. 

"Where are they going to take us?" I asked as I saw Duo's mobile suite drop; Treize, as planned, caught it and attached it to his. He turned to us and with another blast, shot off both the arms of the Taurus and it knocked us out in the process. 

Dark, dank cells. 

I hated them, which was why I hated being captured. The floors were hard; the feeling: dirty. You felt like a criminal, whether you were or not. I looked around, sitting up with my hands both bound by thick metals. I raised my hands to brush the hair out of my eyes and on the way, my fingertips trailed across a patch of dried blood. I followed the trail to a spot on my forehead that had been gnashed open from the impact. 

To my side, on the other end of the bars was Relena. No Duo. I felt terrible. Physically I was hurt, torn. But inside I felt broken. In both the literal sense and the metaphorical sense. Relena was leaning against a wall awake. She was also staring at me. 

"I don't know weather to call you brave or a complete moron." 

"Either would be fine. I feel like both." I called back over to her, inching my way across the floor. 

"Well fine, you're a brave moron." 

"Where did they take Duo?" 

"Interrogation. I'm here for a visit, you're here for something unknown to me, but Duo has been their number one problem for a long, long time. I don't like to say this, but I am scared to death right now." She voice was shaky and it made me feel even more nervous. 

"He'll live. We'll see him soon. They ask the same question time after time until you tell. Duo won't crack that easy, but they are going to keep him alive until he does." 

"I don't like you using that word, 'crack.' It sounds like Duo is a glass doll that would shatter at any moment. But he isn't, you don't know him like I know him. He's been put through more then anyone that I know. And still, he's a wonderful person. That's why I know I love him." 

I was silent for a moment. "Same here." 

She drew in a breath shakily. "I envy you, Heero. No matter what you do to him he still loves you. I have been fighting that for the longest time, but I know it's true. Just how he acts around you, you know he's in love. Heero, I don't know what it is. My god, you even raped him! I don't get how he can still feel that strongly about you." 

Those words hurt. Jokes were funny because they're true, this hurt because it was true as well. I still didn't understand why he would push me away they same moment we drew closer. But Relena was right, she had been with him a lot longer then I have. But still, I didn't think that he could love me as much as Relena was spouting out. But why would she tell me this if it wasn't true? 

There was a pounding on the doors in the dark room. The only light was the broken wall's streaming crack. "You better be ready to tell us next time, or else we won't be so nice!" I heard the voices and then a body drop to the cement floor followed by a crack. I couldn't tell if they body had dropped in Relena or my cell, but it was one or the other. I knew that it was Duo, I could sense his presents and his scent was lingering in the area where the body had dropped. 

"Ch, they could learn to be more careful with their informants!" The husky voice was close, but not as close as I would have hoped. I crawled over to the voice that had to be Duo. Then I bumped something. Not the warm body, but cold, hard bars. He was in Relena's cell. 

My head dropped a little and I laid down on the cement again, hoping it wouldn't take that long to warm my area. It was at that moment that I began to laugh. I laughed and laughed. I could sense the confusion in the room. 

"Heero, you're alive? Oh god, what did they do to you?" 

Relena was equally confused. "Heero, were you given anything when we went in?" 

"You know when there are these really tense situations and you smallest things make you laugh really, really hard?" I saw Relena nod, she was in the only light and I heard Duo agree. "Well you see, I just realized that I'm still wearing the baby-blue pom-pom slippers Relena gave me." I continued to laugh and a chorus of voices laughing as well joined me. As the laughter subsided I asked a question. "Duo, are you okay?" 

"Nope." He answered simply. 

"I know that was the real answer, what did they do?" 

"Interrogate." Another simple answer. 

Another guard entered the room. "Princess, your presents is requested." As sarcastic voice called and entered the cell next to me. I heard Duo draw in a sharp breath, as the guard didn't even bother to step over him. Relena was struggling and pulled out of her place in the light. "Let go of me!" 

"I was told you escort you, milady." The voice laughed again. I heard a kick connect with the guards' stomach. "D-damn you!" The guard kicked Duo just as the kick had first come. I blinked; Duo had kicked the guard instead of Relena? Duo swore again as he continued to be beaten on. Then, with a laugh, the guard left with Relena. I moved to where I could see Duo, it was blurry because of the darkness, but I managed to spot him. 

Laying face down, I could see the blood that surrounded his body. "I never g-got along well with authoritative figures." He breathed outward. 

"Duo, can you get up?" He moved, I had my body pressed up against the bars, looking over to him. Crawling over to me slowly, he winced. I didn't even want to make as guess as to how many bones where broken in his body. 

"Heero, how are you doing?" 

"Not nearly as bad as you." 

"Heero, seriously." 

"I think my wrist is broken, a fracture on my hip, and then a lot of bleeding and bruises." He sat up and looked at me. The only thing that was separating us was the bars. I could feel his hot breath spread across my face and I had to stop myself from where my mind was going. That was the last thing that I needed right then. He took his breaths in slowly and deeply, I knew that he was in a lot of pain that moment. 

I reached my hand out stroking his cheek, my hands were still bound and I heard the metal of my wrists cling to the metal of the bars. Still, my hands could reach his face. The heat his face was giving out surprised me, he was running a high fever and there was nothing I could do. 

"Hey, we're alive. It's that enough?" 

He shook his head. "No, this is my chapter to go and I know it. I can't give them the information they want, next time they'll get it out of me. That's why you are going to do me a favor." I froze, he didn't mean...? 

"You have to kill me here and now. I'm not going to make it out of this cell; I will physically, but I'm not supposed to in my mind. This is where I am supposed to die, and you're supposed to do it." 

I shook my head. "No, you're going to live for a long time to come, you are not going to die here! Not like this!" 

He shook his head. "No, Heero you typically are right, but not about this." 

"Duo, I promise that I'm going to get us out." 

"Heh, if you can promise me that and keep that promise then I will swear you _anything_." Was it that far-fetched of a claim? 

"Would that be a promise?" I asked him, the left him looking at me sideways. 

"You can't think that you're actually going to get out of here. There is no way!" 

"I'll find one, then you get to promise me anything." 

"Heero Yuy, I think you hit your head a bit too hard." I shook my head and smiled to him, hoping that I was giving him some optimism. 

"I didn't, I'm going to promise you that we _will_ get out and you _will_ live." He leaned over and pressed his head against the bars, I couldn't stand how much hurt was in those eyes. "Heero, the Quintet is working on the answers here. They are the interrogators, and I'm not going to be able to hold out against them much longer." 

"The Quintet?" I inquired puzzled. "Yeah, you haven't heard of them?" I shook my head and he looked onto me defeated. "You're kidding me? Wait, I guess you wouldn't have. The war in your reality ended in AC 198, right?" 

"196," I corrected. He nodded, "Same difference. But anyway, what I was getting at was this group of four became incredibly well known at torture techniques and questioning routines, I can't last against them. They appeared in AC 199. Arid is the oldest; he runs the questioning and development. Sizz is the master seductress. Key plans and does a breakdown of the person in question; she has the same job as Arid. Kill-time is the main guy, torturer that teams up with Sizz half the time. Altogether they are the Quintet." 

That marred the situation even more. Now Duo was going to have to deal with _them?_ I had to get us out of here soon, very soon. I pressed my face up to the bars as well, kissing Duo's brow. "D-don't be so worried about me, Heero. You know that they're planning something for you too. Be careful." 

"I'll be fine, I eradicated all the suites you told me to. And then some. I saved Relena as well." I could see the next question he was going to ask. 

"What happened to Link?" The statement on my face retorted the answer to him flawlessly. 

"When did it happen?" 

"Not to far into the battle. He did a excellent job starting out, but I think one hit him from behind." Duo's face spoke of a wounded history, too many dire recollections. Memories were in the making now and none of them were worth remembering. I wished those bars weren't there, and then I would have been able to reassure him. All I could do now was watch the pain and offer spoken ease. 

I kissed his forehead again but this time he moved his lips up to meet mine. "Damn, no Relena but this time there is another boundary!" At least in a situation like this he could still joke. It was just like Relena had said. He was put through so much, but still comes out unblemished. 

Not only in the mental sense, but substantially as well. He was beautiful, and the scars that lie on his body presented a vigorous, strong aspect to his personality and appeal. He was nothing less then strong and vigorous, but at the same time fragile and sensitive. That was the part of him that numerous people never got to perceive. 

His lips webbed into mine but as timing would have it, there was another opening door. As soon as he heard that noise he threw himself away from the bars and laid down, like a broken down mannequin. I knew why he did that to boot. They could use me against him, another way to make him talk. The guard opened my cell and pulled me to my feet. 

"We forgot, the Princess needs an escort." The man said to me and I took one last look at Duo before I was shoved out the door. 

* * *

End of part nine   


**Into the Rain Index******

**Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index**


	10. Chapter Ten

Note: Uh, sorry this one is so short! It was the odd part out, but the newer ones will be longer, promise! 

**Into The Rain**

**Part 10: Sizz and Kill-time**

* * *

The guard drug me out of the room but as I was leaving I caught my eyes onto a group of four. Two girls and two guys were looking back to me. One made a move. 

"Hold it, guard." She walked up to me and ran a hand through my hair. After she pulled it away, she looked to the blood on her hand. "You're taking him to escort the Princess, right? I would clean him up." She took a step back and it was at that time I could see what she looked like. 

Deep crimson hair spread down her back, almost dripping like my blood on her hand. Her skirt reached a relatively high area on her thigh, hinting black shadow, nothing more. Her shirt wasn't that covering either, a tube top that was cross-stitched in the center, showing a hefty amount of cleavage. A painted face illustrated the counterfeit beauty she didn't have. This must have been Sizz. 

Behind her was a man with his arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the cement wall. His jet-black hair was slicked back by a handful of gel. A few remaining parts of hair cascaded over his face adding to his mystery. He was wearing a deep gray trench coat with a deep marine-blue turtleneck under it. I noticed the black gloves covering his hands and a couple handles sticking out of the deep trench coat pockets. Kill-time, I presume. 

That left the blonde to the left to be Arid and the Asian to the right: Key. Those two looked halfway normal. Arid looked like the friendly boy next door. He was wearing a pair of jeans with a pair of tennis shoes. A ribbed sweater added to the green sea in his eyes. I couldn't believe that he was a terrorist. Key struck me as pleasant as well. She was wearing a black suite and glasses. Her Asian orient showed her elegant nature. The straight, midnight hair fell freely over her shoulder to her mid-back. She looked like she belonged as a lawyer instead of a war mastermind. 

I was pulled out of the room, but Sizz followed. I must have caught her attention some how. Shit, just what I needed right then. The man shoved me into a room that looked like a private head quarters. 

"Get cleaned up, there are clothes on the bed. Don't try anything, there are cameras everywhere. We have some one to watch you as well." What? Did they think I was going to try to escape through the drain? There weren't any windows! And on top of that I wasn't going to leave without Duo. 

Sizz snuck through the door and smiled to me as she locked it. "Hiya, my name is Sizzle, Sizz for short. And you are?" She smiled and extended her hand. I didn't want anything to do with her, I was in a sticky situation altogether. "Heero Yuy." I said and shook her hand for a total of 1.002 seconds. I looked around and she walked closer. "You heard him, we have to get you cleaned up." She teased along the rim of my t-shirt. 

"Yes, and I'm going to but I'm modest, turn around." She shook her head plainly. "You don't need to be modest around me. Besides, I need a shower too. I just had quite a workout with that captain." 

My body twitched. "Captain?" 

She smiled harmoniously. "Yeah, I think you know him as Duo." 

If that bitch laid a finger on him… 

I trailed off in my thought and shook my head. 

"Well, you only have so much time. The Princess is going to give a speech in a half hour. Therefore as the escort, you need to be all cleaned up and ready by then." She began to pull off my shirt. "You haven't said more then three words to me. I'm going to have to devise a plan to get you talking more, after all you have quite a sexy voice." 

After a moment of stating at me her grin turned wicked. "I think I have a strategy. After all, Duo seemed to like it." 

I pulled away abruptly. "Stop now. I'm just going to take a shower and you can watch till your sick little heart is content, but don't touch me." 

She looked even more turned on. "Oh, is that so?" She ran a hand through her hair and grinned even more. I stripped off my clothes and marched over to the shower. She followed and my heart sped up. I closed my eyes and turned the faucet on as the shower head sprayed down onto my body. 

I looked to the plastic floor of the shower as a light mist of red spread across the floor from my blood. I grabbed the shampoo next to the body wash and poured it onto my scalp. Pain injected into me as it meshed with the cuts along my scalp. At least the pain was in better thoughts then what lies outside: a little slut that has one thing on her mind. I had one thing on my mind as well: Duo. Her eyes where fixed on me and I wanted to rip them off. But I couldn't do anything; it wasn't in my power. She stood up to walk over and I tried to wash the shampoo out of my hair as I could. She was taking long strides, still trying to seduce me. Finally, I washed out all of the shampoo out. 

I stepped out of the shower and headed straight for the clothes that were laid out on my bed. Sizz pouted a bit, her scarlet lips creasing with her painted brow. I hated those that artificial. "Now come on, I was going to help you wash your back." 

I shook my head. "I'm fine now. I don't have that much time to change anyway so I need to hurry." 

"But you don't want a dirty back, come back in." She purred into my ear and once again, I cringed. 

"I'll manage." 

"No one likes a spoiled sport." I toweled my hair and kept an eye on her. She was advancing once again, closer by the moment. I pulled on the boxers they had laid out and then the tailored pants. I buttoned up the shirt and tucked it into my pants, sipping them up. Over the shirt I pulled on the coat and buttoned that as well. I looked like a bellboy at some elaborate hotel. Over the coat I pulled another coat, the layers seemed ideal in the chic environment Oz seemed to be fond of. 

"I better be going." 

Sizz shook her head. "But I'm not done with you yet." 

I stared angrily. "Yes you are." 

Yet again, pouting like a child that didn't get her way, she shook her head. "If you insist, but I will be back later." 

I walked out of the room looking to the guard. "Now where are we going?" 

The guard stopped. "You get an guide as well." 

"So I see Oz is as formal as ever. The escorts get escorts." I chuckled. 

"And I can see that you, Mr. Yuy, are as sarcastic as usual." 

I shrugged my shoulders back. "Whatever you say." 

At the same time, the guard stepped down and a certain man with jet-black hair stepped forward. Kill-time. "I suppose you have heard of me. My name is Kill-time." He said simply. His voice was exceptionally rich, but not as deep as I would have expected. 

"Why is a person like you playing attendant?" 

"You would be surprised the various jobs I have had in the past. This one isn't appealing in the least," he chuckled. I looked down and observed as his feet began moving. I looked up and had one question to ask him. 

"'Kill-time,' is that a nickname?" 

He smirked. "Would any parent in their right minds call their children 'Kill-time?'" 

I suddenly felt self-conscious. "I have meet some very interesting people in my life. It wouldn't surprise me if they did." 

"Mine was a nickname. I suppose you want to know why?" 

I nodded and he thought for a moment. "A while ago, the Quintet was a Trio. They found me, almost dead. Sizz took a special liking to me; to her I was just another toy. But then Key realized my potential and told Arid all about what she saw. Arid agreed in that and they decided to see how much potential I had. I'm sure they weren't disappointed. The Trio became a Quintet and they didn't think that my original name cut it." 

"How did they come up with Kill-time?" 

"I hated waiting. When I was younger I was incredibly arrogant and my lack of patients was my downfall. I told other of their lack of, but I was the only one that couldn't wait. Sizz was bored one day and decided to look up 'wait' in a thesaurus. That was probably the only book she could tolerate. She came across the word 'kill time' and though that it had flare. I agreed and I became Kill-time." 

"That's probably the oddest way to get a nickname I have heard of yet." 

"What about being named after a pacifist when you're a cold-blooded killer? Not even an odd way, but a complete oxymoron. Why haven't you gone back to your old name now that the doctors are dead?" 

I watched the ceiling with fascination. "I forgot my name a long, long time ago. What was your real name?" 

"One that I wish I _could _forget." 

I thought nothing of the fact that he was avoiding it. It was probably some brainless name like Dilbert. We stopped before a pair of double-doors. "We're here." I looked back to Kill-time again; I had one last question. "Why?" 

"Why what?" 

"Why are you in this group? I know that there is something you're not telling me or anyone else about. Something just doesn't fit, it's out of place." 

A grin overcame his face. "Well, maybe one day you'll figure it out." 

There was something, I was sure of it. Damn, another thing to worry my mind about. I swear they were all just cluttering my mind with all this trivia until what really matters is too clouded up to think about. A new strategy? No, I was just getting paranoid. 

The doors swung open to another room where Relena was sitting getting ready. I knew it was Relena from the wheat-blonde hair being made up by a couple maids. As I walked around to the front side I was shouted at. 

"Turn around! Her majesty isn't dressed!" One of the maids shouted. 

"My god, I'm in a freakin' **slip**! Oh no! He may see my legs and arms!" Relena replied sarcastically. 

I walked around commenting, "I bet you like the royal treatment." 

She glared at me and gestured to my hands. "Yeah, hand-cuffed to a chair, I really missed that." 

One of the maids bowed. "Forgive us, Relena-sama, but it was of the general's orders. We had no say in it what so ever." 

I watched, sitting down, as they combed out the waterfalls of hair that Relena had grown over the years. 

My eyes strayed around the room, looking for an escape path. I heard the click of a gun. I looked back around and one of the maids had momentarily dropped the handful of Relena's hair to point the gun at me. "Just because you're not handcuffed to a seat doesn't mean that you are free. We're just being hospitable." I froze. She was a point-blank range and if she were to fire, no matter how horrible her aim, it would be A Hero's Death all over again. 

"Like we said, Yuy-sama, please stay seated until we are finished helping Relena-sama out." 

I nodded and watched as they set their guns back into the holders momentarily. They were trained to draw in an instants notice, so I wasn't going to try anything against them. Twisting the long lengths of blonde into braid, they continued their weaving session until the braids were done in three sections. From the three sections, they wrapped upward into a bound bun on the top of her head, leaving the braid tails to fall freely. 

"Relena-sama, please stand up." 

"Handcuffs." She reminded smartly. Drawing out a key, one of the maids momentarily lifted the lock to a liberated state. Guiding the handcuffs each through a sleeve in the dress there were re-locked to a bar supporting the roof. Facing the pole, Relena took a deep breath in as the maids finished preparing the dress from the back. 

I lowered my head to the ground, with no weapon of my own I, pathetically, didn't stand a chance against a group of common maids. 

* * *

End of part ten   
****

**Into the Rain Index******

**Gundam Wing Fanfiction Index**


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